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OF  MANCHESTER. 


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THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


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HISTORICAL  SKETCH 


OF 


MANCHESTER  LODGE 


No.  14,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. 


Read  at  the  Celebration  of  the  Festival  of  St.  John 

the  Evangelist, 

,  DECEMBER  27TH,  1906 

BY 

Right  Worshipful  Ben.  P.  Owen,  Jr. 

And  by  him  prepared  for  publication  at  the  request 

of  the  Lodge. 

NOVEMBER  20TH,  1907. 


RICHMOND,  VA. 
CHAS,  E.  PICOT  PRINTING  CO. 

1907. 


•       »      • 
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DEDICATORY. 


Before  writing  this  history  of  Manchester  Lodge  of  Masons,  I 
had  heard  the  glorious  past  of  Old  Fourteen  portrayed  in  words  of 
eloquence  by  Craftsmen  who  knew  much  of  this  history,  and  whose 
voices  had  charmed  the  brethren  like  the  music  of  a  sweet  melody. 
In  recent  years,  on  great  occasions,  the  Lodge  has  invariably  de- 
manded that  the  voices  of  Right  Wor.  William  I.  Clopton,  and 
Wor.  John  H.  Ingram,  should  be  heard,  so  that  the  Craft  might 
be  reminded  of  the  men  who  in  the  past  guided  our  Lodge  over 
seas  sometimes  tempestuous,  and  sometimes  calm,  urging  their 
fellows  to  the  noblest  endeavor. 

Encouraged  in  my  labors  by  these  two  worthy  Craftsmen,  who 
have  been  justly  accorded  such  high  civic  honors  in  this  Old  Com- 
monwealth, I  wish  to  show  my  appreciation  of  their  approval  of  my 
tedious  undertaking,  and  I  therefore  take  the  liberty,  without  their 
consent,  of  dedicating  to  them  this  compilation.  My  excuse,  if  one 
be  needed  for  this  liberty,  is  founded  upon  long  personal  regard 
and  friendship  for  these  two  distinguished  Masons  and  Jurists,  for 
whom  the  members  of  my  Lodge  share  with  me  the  highest  admira- 
tion and  regard. 

The  Author. 


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AUTHOR'S  PREFACE. 


The  historical  sketch  of  Lodge  14,  which  I  read  on  the  occasion 
of  the  celebration  of  the  Festival  of  St.  John  The  Evangelist,  De- 
cember 27,  1906,  being  incomplete,  and  the  Lodge  having  requested 
me  to  finish  the  work  so  that  it  could  pass  into  print,  I  have  here- 
with complied  with  that  request  to  the  best  of  my  ability.  The 
work  at  times  has  been  tedious  and  wearisome  in  order  to  secure 
accuracy.  In  my  labors  I  have  been  cheered  and  assisted  by  Wor. 
Brother  John  E.  Kobertson,  to  whom  I  extend  my  sincere  gratitude 

5    for  his  generous  aid. 

In  hurrying  the  manuscript  for  the  press,  the  continuity  could 
not  be  as  nicely  arranged  as  was  desired,  and  therefore  apology  is 
offered  for  paragraphic  classification. 

I  had  hoped  to  have  been  able  to  positively  locate  where  the 

w    building  stood  in  which  the  Lodge  met  prior  to  the  erection  of  the. 
old  Masonic  Hall  on  Fifth  Street,  but  business  engagements  have 
interfered  with  my  investigations  in  this  direction.     Suffice  it  to 
say,  however,  I  have  data  which  I  think  will  certainly  enable  me 

o    finally  to  absolutely  determine  this  matter. 

^        I  offer  this  contribution  as  a  token  of  love  and  affection  for  my 

§    old  Lodge,  and  if  it  shall  afford  the  least  pleasure  and  gratification 

uj     to  the  brethren  delight  will  come  to  me,  which  will  be  sufficient 

q    recompense  for  all  my  labor. 

<  Fraternally  yours, 

BEN.  P.  OWEN,  Jr. 
Manchester,  Va.,  November  14,  1907. 


V.;C    J.'-'-.     J\J 


V 


/ 


Right  Worshipful  Ben.  P.   Owen,   Jr. 


ROSTER  OF  THE  LODGE,  1907. 


District  Deputy  Graxd  Master — Right  Worshipful  B.  W.  Ragland, 

Chester  Lodge,  No.  94. 

Adamson,  Arthur  L April  21,  188S 

Ahern,  W.  J February  15,  1904 

Aiken,  W.  A March  19,  1906 

Amos,  L.  M September  16,  1901 

Anderson,  Frank  S June  19,  1905 

Atkisson,  C.  W October  21,  1882 

Baber,  D.  E 

Bates,  Selden  November  3,  1893 

Betty,  T.  H.*  February  6,  1892 

Blankenship,  C.  A January  17,  1897 

Bradshaw,  J.  A June  17,    1886 

Bradshaw,  W.  V August  12,  1892 

Bradshaw,  P.   E May   21,    1892 

Brandis,  A.  C August  26,  1S71 

Broaddus,  R.  C July  21,  1892 

Brown,  R.  E October  8,  1900 

Brown,  T.  A December  8,  1902 

Bryce,  W.  F.,  Jr September  24,   1898 

Burke,  Marcus  E December  27,  1899 

Callighan,  A.  H May  20,  1899 

Campbell,  R.  L May  20,  1907 

Clements,  H.  L May  20,  1907 

Clopton,  William  I May  27,   1868 

Cook,  G.  H February  18,  1907 

Craig,  Robert  S May  1,  1891 

Craig.  Charles  R November  23,  1894 

Crooks,    J.    A August    12,    1892 

Donald,  Peter November  26,  1887 

DuVal,  J.  Fay March  24,  1894 

Eastwood,  R.  E January  20,  1902 

Fisher,   Thomas  H February  9,  1895 

Fitzgerald,  A.  H October  9,   1886 

Fry,  John  F May  20,  1907 

Fuqua,  C.  G May  20,  1907 

Furcron,  A.  S 

Garber,  Alonzo  B November  3,  1903 

Garber,  B.  L June  2,  1903 

Garber,  W.  H.  (elected)    August  26,  1901 

Gibbs,  W.  A July  28,  1890 

Goode,  James  O December  19,  1885 

Green,  C.  V May  21,  1892 

Greenwood,  W.  L November  19,   1906 

Griswold,  T.  V January  16,  1905 


* 


Elected  honorary  member  June  18,  1906. 


Hill,  E.  G October  26,  1894 

Holioway,  C.  P.    (elected)    November  21,  1904 

Howlett,  E.  J January  21,  1899 

Howlett,  J.  C September  1,  1902 

Ingram,  Lawrence July  21,  1892 

Jewett,  John  R December  8,  1890 

Jewett,  G.  W August  5,  1903 

Johnson,  J.  O October  17,  1904 

Jones,  Carter  C April  15,  1898 

Jones,  M.  A July  23,  1900 

Jones    W.  T 

Jordan,   M.    F September    16,    1901 

Kidd,  L.  P April  1,  1901 

Kincheloe,  A.  W 

Kuester,  John  T July  20,  1906 

Lacy,  Edward  N October  5,  1889 

Lamb,  F.  A May  7,  1867 

Lamb,  Coulter  C April  15,  1898 

Lanier,  George  R July  8,  1893 

Latham,  C.   S January  31,  1S94 

Latham,  L.  R March   19,   1906 

Lawder,  Harry  M June  19,  1905 

Levy,  Henry   August  15,  1902 

Levy,  Jacob    June   2,   1903 

Lewis,  W.  J October  13,  1902 

ivtcGee,  J.  H July  13,  1904 

McGee,  O.  G July  20,  1906 

Maurice,  H.  A February  27,  1886 

Merchant,  W.  F.     elected  August  17,  1903 

Moore,  W.  R April   29,   1901 

Morris,  John  L April  15,  1898 

Morrissette,  B.  H June  12,  1867 

Morrissette,  W.  J August  17,  1891 

Morton,   Mathew    May  4,    1889 

Morton,  Thomas  B June  2,  1903 

Newman,  R.  L.   (elected)    June  20,  1904 

Nunnally,  E.  P August  7,  1897 

O'Brien,  R.  W June  6,  1896 

Overton,  R.  D April  24,  1900 

Owens,  S.  R November  18,  1882 

Owen  ,  Ben  P.,  Jr September  19,  1896 

Page,  Charles  L October   1,  1892 

Patram,  B.  F 

Payne,  E.  T February  3,   1891 

Payne,  G.  W October  13,  1902 

Perdue,   T.  B March  13,   1897 

Phillips,  Frank  December  31,  1892 

Phillips,  E.  A February  10,  1900 

Pool,  W.  W.  (elected)    October  1,  1892.   (Raised,  1863) 

Porter,  M.  E March  17,  1894 

Powers,  J.  W July  18,  1887 

Powers,  C.  C September  23,  1901 

Price,  F.  George  March  19,  1906 

Reams,  G.  W September  18,  1905 

Rice,  John  G May  16,  1885 

Richardson,   R.   H September   16,    1901 

Robertson,  B.  M.  (elected)   August  14,  1886 

Robertson,  John  R April  15,  1898 

Robinson,  J.  P July  18,  18S7 


Royall,  Augustine   June  1,  1872 

Sampson,  Aaron  L July  23,  1900 

Saunders„vJ.  G August  15,  1904 

Schaadt,  Charles  March  13,  1893 

Schumaker,  S.  T March  1,  1890 

Sharp,  Charles  H February  9,  1889 

Sheppard,  Myron  W July  20,  190G 

Slaughter,  T.  B • August  15,  1902 

Smart,  G.  W January  28,  1901 

Smith,  R.  P November  26,  1887 

Snellings,  J.  C June  1,  1886 

Strader,  R.  M March  19,  1903 

Talbot,. T.  J January  31,  1894 

Tatum,  A.  R September  14,  1891 

Tatum,  E.  G April  23,  1892 

Toney,  D.  L May  27,  1889 

Trevillian,  J.  E June  19,  1905 

Trevillian,  W.  F 

Vaden,  J.  H.    (elected)    December  22,   1890 

Vaden,  W.  C 

Vaughan,  J.  V February  27,  1886 

Watkins,  Charles  A July  13,  1904 

Walker,  W.  Lance  May  16,  1885 

Walker,  John  Z.    March  1,  1890 

Walthall,  C.  E November   19,  1906 

Washington,    W.    H 

Weisiger,  E.  W September  2,  1863 

Weisiger,  D.  J June  1,  1872 

Weisiger,  Irvin  December  19,  1874 

Wells,  C.  S November  19,  1906 

Williamson,  J.  A July   14,   1894 

Williard,  J.  T 

Wright,  A.  S April  18,  1904 


v. 
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am  gjA 

Sk  *           '  A  1 

s\. 

■  jH 

Right    Worshipful    William    I.    Clopton, 
Orator    on    the   Occasion    of   the   Centennial    Celebration. 


HISTORY 

OF  THE 

Masonic  Lodge  of  Manchester. 


To  write  a  history  of  an  organization  that  has  a  history  of  more 
than  one  hundred  and  twenty  years,  filled  with  events  of  interest, 
is  a  task  around  which  clusters  a  halo  of  fascination  simply  charm- 
ing when  he  who  writes  that  history  is  allured  by  a  perusal  of 
page  after  page  of  decidedly  interesting  events  connecting  the 
present  with  the  past,  and  bringing  face  to  face,  and  heart  to 
heart,  as  it  were,  brethren  who  have  gone  before  to  assemble  in 
that  Celestial  Lodge  above,  where  the  Supreme  Architect  of  the 
Universe  presides.  Men  of  distinction,  illustrious  for  their  public 
service,  and  noted  for  their  private  virtues,  were  at  the  organiza- 
tion of  Manchester  Lodge,  No.  1-1,  Ancient,  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons. 

The  organization  of  this  Lodge  dates  back  to  February  28, 
1780.  The  nation  was  young  then  and  had  just  launched  a  republi- 
can form  of  government  that  has  since  dazzled  the  other  nations  of 
the  earth.  The  membership  of  this  Lodge  was  mostly  men  of  the 
Scottish  race,  whose  ancestors  had  fought  with  Wallace  and  bled 
with  Bruce,  when  Bannockburn  had  found  a  name  in  history  as  a 
battle  of  consequence,  and  when  Sterling  Bridge  had  brought  glory 
and  shed  eternal  fame  upon  the  martial  and  patriotic  spirit  of  the 
lads  from  the  Highlands. 

The  Scotchmen  who  had  settled  in  Manchester  in  the  latter  part 
of  the  eighteenth  century  were  forceful  men,  who  had  inherited 
the  virtues  of  their  ancestors,  and  congratulated  themselves  that 
the  blood  of  the  ancient  heroes  of  Scotland  ran  uncontaminated 
in  their  veins.  They  lived  in  this  community  and  were  American 
citizens,  yet  whenever  they  assembled  on  festive  occasions  their 
thoughts  often  wandered  back  to  the  hills  of  Caledonia,  and  they 


10  History  op  Manchester  Lodge. 

cheerfully  recalled  the  superstitious  beliefs  of  Old  Scotland  "when 
witches  and  elves  and  evil  spirits  were  let  loose  amongst  the  chil- 
dren of  men." 

In  the  membership  of  Old  Fourteen,  listed  now  and  then  in  this 
historical  sketch,  will  be  found  many  Scottish  names — men  just 
as  intensely  Scottish  as  were  the  McGregors,  the  Grahams,  the 
Bruccs,  the  Mackenzies,  the  Hamiltons  and  the  Douglasses,  who 
wept  and  fought  over  the  woes  and  wrong  of  Scotland.  They  were 
the  men  who  started  commercial  life  in  Eichmond  and  Manchester, 
and  made  the  two  places  conspicuous  for  business  activity.  In 
glancing  over  the  old  records  the  first  thing  to  attract  attention 
was  an  old  copy  of  Burns'  farewell  address  to  the  brethren  of  St. 
James  Lodge,  Tarbolton,  when  the  bard  "from  the  little  mud- 
walled  cottage  on  the  banks  of  Doon,  near  Alloway's  Auld,  haunt- 
ed kirk  in  the  shire  of  "Ayr,"  had  sent  his  chest  on  the  way  to 
Greenock. 

This  poem  of  Burns  was  doubtless  sang  on  festive  occasions  by 
the  "ancient  brethren  of  Old  Fourteen."  It  was  neatly  copied  and 
pasted  in  the  back  of  the  oldest  minute  book  of  the  Lodge.  Burns 
was  buried  on  the  25th  of  July,  1796,  and  fragments  of  the  un- 
bound minutes  of  our  Lodge,  which  has  escaped  the  ravages  of 
time  and  mice,  show  that  the  paper  upon  which  this  poem  was 
copied  was  of  the  same  size  and  quality  used  by  the  Lodge  before 
Burns  died.  Possibly  it  was  copied  before  the  publication  of  the 
Edinburgh  edition  of  Burns'  poems  in  1787,  and  probably  copied 
from  a  copy  given  to  a  member  of  our  Lodge  by  Burns  himself. 

This  poem,  having  been  accorded  such  a  conspicuous  place  in 
our  records,  two  verses  are  here  given: 

Adieu!    A  heart-warm,  fond  adieu! 

Dear  brothers  of  the  mystic  tie! 
Ye  favor'd,  ye  enlighten'd  few, 

Companions  of  my  social  joy! 
Tho'  I  to  foreign  lands  must  hie, 

Pursuing  Fortune's  slidd'ry  ba\ 
With  melting  heart  and  brimful  eye, 

I'll  mind  you  still,  tho'  far  awa'. 

*■*  3$C  Sp  *P  *f* 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  11 

v. 

And  you  farewell!  whose  merits  claim, 

Justly,  that  highest  badge  to  wear! 
Heav'n  bless  your  honor'd,  noble  name, 

To  masonry  and  Scotia  dear! 
A  last  request  permit  me  here, 

When  yearly  ye  assemble  a', 
One  round — I  ask  it  with  a  tear, — 
-  .  To  him,  the  Bard  that's  far  awa'. 

The  Charter. 

The  Charter  of  our  Lodge  is  an  exceedingly  interesting  docu- 
ment, and  is  in  good  state  of  preservation,  although  it  has  gone 
for  years  without  having  been  pressed  into  good  shape.  In  the 
earlier  day  of  our  Lodge  it  was  the  custom  to  have  this  charter 
read  at  intervals,  as  was  the  case  with  the  by-laws.  When  it  was 
given  to  the  Lodge  it  was  ordered  to  be  spread  upon  the  record, 
but  it  is  not  known  whether  this  was  ever  done,  since  there  are  no 
minutes  extant  of  the  meetings  of  the  Lodge  from  1786  until 
1800,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  fragments  of  minutes  now 
among  the  old  papers  belonging  to  the  Lodge.  This  charter  was 
framed  at  least  fifty  years  ago  by  Messrs.  Franck  &  Lundin,  who 
kept  a  picture  frame  establishment  on  the  corner  of  Eighth  and 
Main  Streets,  in  Richmond.  If  the  charter  had  been  framed  pre- 
viously there  is  no  record  of  the  fact.  The  evidence  is  all  the  re- 
verse, and  the  uneven  condition  of  the  surface  of  the  charter  at 
present  might  indicate  that  it  had  not  been  as  carefully  preserved 
before  1850  as  it  has  been  since  that  time.  A  copy  of  this  charter 
not  appearing  anywhere  in  the  record  is  here  given.  It  will  be 
observed  that  the  word  "ancient"  was  spelled  "antient"  and  the 
word  "choose"  was  spelled  "chuse."  There  were  some  clerical 
errors  made  in  copying  the  charter  upon  the  parchment,  the  cor- 
rections being  apparent.  The  Lodge  operated  under  a  dispensation 
from  February  28,  1786,  to  November  20,  1786.  A  copy  of  this 
dispensation,  or  the  document  authorizing  the  Lodge  to  work 
under  a  dispensation,  has  not  been  preserved.  A  communication 
(still  preserved)  was  received  by  the  Lodge  from  the  Grand  Secre- 
tary  dated    October,   1786,   informing  the   Lodge   that   their   new 


12  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

charter  would  soon  be  forthcoming.     The  following  is  a  copy  of  the 
charter,  which  has  been  in  possession  of  the  Lodge  since  1786 : 

Edmund  Randolph,  G.  M. 

To  All  and  Every  to  Whose  Knowledge 

These  Presents  Shall   Conic — Greeting: 

Whereas,  it  hath  been  duly  represented  that  in  the  county  of 
Chesterfield,  in  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia,  there  resides  a 
number  of  the  brethren  of  the  Society  of  Freemasons,  who  being 
too  remote  from  any  regular  Lodge  to  attend  the  same  without 
some  inconvenience,  and  being  sufficient  in  number  to  constitute  a 
separate  Lodge  agreeable  to  the  constitution  of  Masonry,  and  it 
appearing  have  heretofore  met  and  associated  together  agreeable 
to  the  constitution  of  Masonry  by  the  name  and  description  of  the 
Manchester  Lodge;  and  it  appearing  to  be  for  the  good  increase 
of  that  antient  and  honorable  art,  that  the  said  brethren  should  be 
encouraged  and  enabled  to  proceed  and  work  as  heretofore  has 
been  accustomed  in  a  regular  Lodge — 

Know  ye,  that  we,  Edmund  Randolph,  Esq..  of  the  Common- 
wealth aforesaid,  as  Grand  Master  of  the  most  antient  and  most 
honorable  Society  of  Free  Masons  within  the  same,  by  and  with 
the  consent  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Virginia,  testified  by  the  rales 
and  regulations  of  the  said  Grand  Lodge,  do  hereby  constitute  and 
appoint  the  Worshipful  Brethren  James  Lyle,  Alexander  Banks. 
Cornelius  Buck,  together  with  all  such  other  brethren  as  may  In- 
admitted  to  associate  with  them,  to  be  a  just,  true,  regular  and 
perfect  Lodge  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  by  the  name,  title  and 
designation  of  the  Manchester  Lodge,  No.  14. 

And  further  do  hereby  appoint  and  ordain  all  regular  lodges  to 
hold,  acknowledge  and  respect  them  as  such,  hereby  granting  and 
committing  to  them  and  their  successors  full  power  and  authority 
to  assemble  and  convene  as  a  regular  Lodge,  and  to  enter,  receive 
and  make  apprentices,  pass  fellow  crafts,  and  raise  Master  Masons 
according  to  the  known  and  established  custom  of  antient  Masonry, 
and  no  otherwise,  and  also  do  elect  and  chase  masters,  wardens 
and  other  officers  annually  at  such  time  or  times  as  to  them  may 
seem  meet  and  convenient,  and  also  exact  from  their  members  such 
compensation  as  they  shall  judge  necessary  for  the  support  of  their 
Lodge,  the  relief  of  their  brethren  in  distress  and  contribution 
towards  the  grand  charity  agreeable  to  the  constitution  of  Masonry 
and  the  laws  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Virginia  recommended  to  the 
brethren  aforesaid  to  reverence,  and  be  their  superiors  in  all  things 
lawful,  and  have,  as  becomes  the  honor  and  harmony  of  Masons, 


History  op  Manchester  Lodge.  13 

and  to  record  in  their  books  this  present  charter  with  their  own 
regulations  and  by-laws,  and  their  whole  acts  and  proceedings 
from  time  to  time  they  occur,  and  by  no  means  to  desert  their  said 
Lodge  hereby  constituted,  or  form  themselves  into  separate  meet- 
ings without  the  'consent  and  approbation  of  their  master  and 
wardens  for  the  time  being. 

All  which,  by  accepting  hereof,  they  are  holden  and  engaged  to 
observe;  and  the  brethren  aforesaid  by  accepting  hereof,  acknowl- 
edge and  recognize  the  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Vir- 
ginia as  their  superior,  and  shall  pay  due  regard  to  all  such  in- 
structions and  recommendations  as  they  have  or  shall  hereafter 
receive  from  thence,  and  they  are  also  required  to  correspond  with 
the  said  Grand  Lodge  of  Virginia,  and  to  attend  the  meetings 
thereof  by  their  proxies  or  deputies,  being  Master  Masons  or  mem- 
bers of  their  Lodge.  And  for  the  more  effectual  preservation  of 
these  presents,  the  same  are  hereby  appointed  to  be  recorded  in 
the  book  of  the  Grand  Lodge. 

Done  in  the  Grand  Lodge  at  Richmond,  the  20th  day  of  No- 
vember, A.  L.  5786. 

By  the  Grand  Master's  Command. 

Witness — 

William  Waddill,  Grand  Secretary. 

This  Lodge  was  regularly  constituted  by  dispensation  for  the 
Grand  Master,  date  the  28th  February,  A.  L.  5786,  as  appears  of 
record  in  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Virginia. 

(Seal  with  blue  ribbon.)  W.  Waddill,  0.  S. 

Officers  of  the  Lodge  in  1786. 

In  the  archives  of  the  Lodge  is  a  printed  circular  letter  from 
the  Grand  Secretary,  W.  Waddill,  dated  Richmond,  October  30, 
1786,  addressed  "To  the  Master  of  the  Manchester  Lodge,  No. 
1  I."  In  this  letter  James  Lyle,  of  Manchester,  is  mentioned  as 
Grand  Treasurer  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  and  No.  14  is  requested  to 
send  a  list  of  its  officers  to  the  Grand  Lodge.  The  list  of  officers 
written  on  the  back  of  this  circular  letter  is  as  follows:  Cornelius 
Buck,  Master;  L.  Stoddard,  S.  W.;  T.  Banks,  J.  W.;  Benjamin 
Elliott,  S.  D.;  Obadiah  Smith,  Jr.  D.;  H.  Austin,  Treasurer; 
A.  A.  Nicolson,  Secretary;  William  McKennon,  Senior  Steward; 
Daniel  Weisigor,  Junior  Steward;  C.  Stoddard,  T.  Banks,  F. 
Baille}r,  J.  Murchie  and  J.  Brander,  standing  committee.     This 


14  History  op  Manchester  Lodge. 

is  the  only  obtainable  list  of  officers  for  that  year.  The  Grand 
Lodge  records  do  not  give  this  information,  nor  has  the  Lodge 
preserved  the  minutes  of  that  year.  The  charter  shows  that  the 
first  Master  and  Wardens  were  James  Lyle,  Alexander  Banks  and 
Cornelius  Buck.  The  first  meeting  was  held  March  G,  1786. 
The  circular  above  referred  to  furthermore  says: 

"I  have  to  request  the  favour  of  you  to  transmit  to  our  Grand 
Treasurer,  Brother  James  Lyle,  of  Manchester,  such  collections  or 
donation  that  your  Lodge  has  been  pleased  to  contribute  in  conse- 
quence of  the  resolution  of  the  Grand  Lodge  in  October,  1785; 
and  to  me  in  Richmond,  as  soon  as  may  be,  the  names  of  your  pres- 
est  Master  and  Wardens,  in  order  that  your  New  Charter  may  be 
made  out,  if  not  already  obtained;  also  a  list  of  your  Members  that 
are  not  in  arrears  to  your  Lodge,  with  the  stated  times  of  your 
meeting  before  the  first  day  of  April  next  ensuing." 

Big  Satnt  John's  Dinner  in  IT 04. 

In  1794  the  Lodge  was  in  such  good  shape  that  the  brethren 
began  to  discuss  the  feasibility  of  building  a  Masonic  Hall  that 
would  meet  the  necessities  of  the  occasion.  The  room  they  were 
then  renting  from  Mr.  Arthur  Graves  was  not  large  enough,  nor 
was  it  as  conveniently  located  as  desired.  It  is  very  probable  that 
the  determination  to  build  the  Masonic  Hall,  on  Fifth  and  Porter 
Streets,  was  definitely  settled  at  the  Masonic  dinner  given  in  com- 
memoration of  the  Festival  of  Saint  John  The  Baptist,  June  24, 
1794.  This  was  a  notable  dinner,  as  the  records  will  bear  out, 
and  was  under  the  supervision  of  the  stewards.  Cooking  was  at  a 
premium  in  Manchester  that  day,  and  to  use  the  vernacular  of  the 
times,  "it  makes  one's  mouth  water"  to  read  the  list  of  "drink- 
ables and  eatables"  prepared  for  that  auspicious  occasion.  It  was 
a  subscription  dinner  and  the  brethren  responded  generously.  The 
stewards  purchased  liberally,  and  to  the  extent  of  about  $140, 
which  had  a  big  purchasing  power  in  those  days.  They  bought 
two  dozen  bottles  of  Port  wine,  two  dozen  bottles  of  porter,  four 
gallons  of  Madeira,  three  gallons  of  "best  spirits,"  and  the  rest  of 
the  bill  of  fare  was  as  follows:  "Side  of  veal,  one  lamb,  veal  head 
hash,  roast  pig,  two  bams,  two  dozen  bread,  dried  beef,  tongue, 
dozen   chickens,   two    dozen   eggs,   eight   pounds   of   butter,    eight 


History  or  Manchester  Lodge. 


15 


dozen  cucumbers,  cabbages  and  snaps."  The  brethren  had  pie  for 
dessert,  and  in  juxtaposition  to  the  bill  of  fare  appeared  the  entry 
"servants."'  Of  course,  it  is  not  to  be  presumed  that  "servants" 
were  to  be  eaten,  even  though  they  were  down  on  the  bill  of  fare. 
"Servants,"  "best  spirits,"  "porter"  and  "Madeira"  were  together 
on  the  wine  list,  and  doubtless  stuck  close  together  during  the 
dinner,  «lse  the  servants  were  not  the  "old  issue"  Virginia  dark  its. 
Be  it  to  the  credit  of  the  craft,  who,  having  been  warned  before- 
hand "not  to  convert  the  means  thereof  to  intemperance  or  ex- 
cess," fourteen  bottles  of  porter,  eight  bottles  of  port  wine,  and 
two  gallons  of  spirits  were  "saved  for  future  use  of  the  Lodge." 


List  of  Members  No.  14,  April  17,  1793. 


James  Lyle, 
Alexander  Banks, 
Cornelius  Buck, 
James  Brander, 
Obadiah  Smith, 
Daniel  Ball, 
Horace  Austin, 
Benjamin  Elliot, 
John  Murchie, 
John  Harris, 
William  Ball, 
Bernard  Markham, 
James  Hayes, 
John  Haveningham, 
Andrew  Nicolson, 
William  Edwards, 
Benjamin  Hatcher, 
Doct.  James  Frazer, 


Archibald  Freeland, 
William  McKennon, 
Rueben  Coutts, 
John  Michaux, 
Lewis  Buckner, 
Alexander  Ranken, 
John  McColl, 
Jacob  Rubsamen, 
James  Swain, 
James  A.  Patteson, 
Bernard  Fowler, 
William  Smith, 
Charlie  Galbraith, 
Archibald  Campbell, 
James  Tennant, 
William  Tatham, 
James  Scott, 
John  Trabue, 
John  Branch. 


From  the  Grand  Lodge  Records. 

The  Lodge  not  having  any  minutes,  except  a  few  fragments, 
from  1786  to  1809,  it  was  necessary  to  resort  to  the  Grand  Lodge 
records  for  information  concerning  Lodge  ISTo.  14.     At  that  time 


16  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

the  records  of  the  Grand  Lodge  were  meager,  hut  are  sufficient  to 
show  that  the  "deputies,"  as  they  were  then  called,  from  No.  14, 
were  brethren  who  took  a  prominent  stand  in  the  Grand  Lodge 
on  account  of  their  Masonic  zeal  and  wisdom.  When  the  Grand 
Lodge  met  in  Mason's  Hall  in  the  city  of  Richmond  in  178-r>, 
Masons  living  in  Manchester  at  that  time  were  present,  and  the 
following  year  secured  a  dispensation  to  organize  a  lodge  in  Man- 
chester. The  Grand  Lodge  was  then  composed  of  only  eight  Lodges. 

1786. 

In  1786  Manchester  Lodge  was  represented  in  the  Grand  Lodge 
by  Jacob  Rubsamen  and  Robert  Curry.  James  Lyle,  of  No.  14,  was 
elected  Grand  Treasurer  and  installed.  Edmund  Randolph,  who 
was  Attorney-General  of  the  United  States  under  Washington,  was 
Grand  Master.  At  an  "adjourn  meeting"  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
"The  committee  appointed  to  consider  and  regulate  the  rank  of 
the  several  lodges  within  this  state  dependent  on  the  Grand  Lodge 
made  their  report,  which  report  was  agreed  to  by  the  Grand  Lodge: 

Resolved,  That  the  Lodges  stand  in  the  following  order :  Man- 
chester to  be  No.  14."    Constituted  February  28,  1786. 

1787. 

James  Lyle  was  Grand  Treasurer  in  1787.  James  Lyle,  Alexan- 
der Banks  and  Cornelius  Buck  were  deputies  from  No.  14.  The 
last  named  was  of  the  committee  to  establish  a  mode  of  correspond- 
ence between  the  Grand  Lodge  and  the  subordinate  Lodges  of  the 
State.  Among  other  things  this  committee  reported:  "That  the 
Grand  Secretary  be  desired  to  write  a  circular  letter;  a  copy  of 
which  to  be  forwarded  to  each  particular  Lodge  enjoining  them  to 
correspond  with  the  Grand  Lodge  quarterly,  the  letters  (if  by  post 
to  be  paid  by  the  Lodges  so  forwarding  them)  addressed  to  the 
Grand  Secretary.  By  this  quarterly  communication  they  are  re- 
quested to  furnish  the  Grand  Lodge  with  a  complete  list  of  their 
members;  distinguishing  those  who  are  in  arrears  with  any  other 
information  that  may  tend  to  the  honour  and  dignity  of  Masonry." 

1788. 

April  28,  1788,  Cornelius  Buck  was  Grand  Treasurer,  pro  tern. 
October  28,  1788,  Buck  was  Senior  Grand  Warden,  pro  iem.,  and 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  17 

the  only  representative  from  No.  14.  At  the  second  clay  session  Man- 
chester Lodge  was  not  represented.  At  an  adjourn  meeting  of  the 
Grand  Lodge,  held  November  17,  1788,  Cornelius  Buck  was  Grand 
Junior  Warden,  pro  tern.,  and  he  and  Luther  Stoddard  represented 
the  Lodge. 

1789. 

"At  a  grand  half  yearly  communication,  holden  at  Masons'  Hall 
in  the  city  of  Richmond,  on  the  28th  day  of  April,  1789,"  the 
deputies  were  Cornelius  Buck,  James  Brander  and  Horace  Austin. 
Buck  was  Senior  Grand  Warden,  pro  tern.  Brander  was  Grand 
Treasurer,  pro  tern.  "At  a  half  yearly  grand  communication  hold- 
en  October  28,  1789,  the  Wor.  James  Lyle  was  Grand  Treasurer." 
Deputies:  James  Lyle,  Obadiah  Smith  and  Archibald  Freeland. 
There  was  a  balance  of  34  pounds  7  shillings  l/2  pence  in  the 
hands  of  Brother  James  Lyle,  when  his  "accompts"  were  examined 
and  approved. 

1790. 

James  Lyle  was  Grand  Treasurer  and  Horace  Austin  and  An- 
drew Nicolson  were  deputies  from  No.  14.  Cornelius  Buck  was  a 
visitor,  and  so  was  James  Henderson,  of  Powhatan  Lodge,  which 
met  at  Scottsville,  in  the  county  of  Powhatan.  At  an  adjourn  com- 
munication April  29,  1790,  Wor.  James  Lyle  was  Grand  Secretary 
and  Horace  Austin  represented  No.  14.  "At  a  half  yearly  grand 
communication,  holden  April  29,  1790,  the  'deputies,'  were  Buck, 
Bailey  and  Edward."  The  Secretary  did  not  give  their  full  names. 
Cornelius  Buck  was  Grand  Treasurer.  At  an  adjourn  meeting 
October  29,  1790,  Cornelius  Buck  was  the  only  representative 
from  No.  14.  October  30,  1790,  the  Grand  Lodge  adopted  a  vote 
of  thanks  to  Brother  James  Lyle,  Grand  Treasurer,  and  he  was 
appointed  one  of  the  Grand  Stewards  of  the  Grand  Charity  fund 
for  the  ensuing  year. 

1791. 

It  was  the  custom  at  this  period  to  advertise  the  meetings  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  in  the  Public  Gazette,  a  newspaper  then  published  in 
Richmond.    James  Brander  was  deputy  from  No.  14.    The  Lodge 


18  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

was  not  represented  at  the  "half  yearly  grand  communication  Oc- 
tober 28th  to  30th,  1791,  by  a  'deputy,'  but  Cornelius  Buck  was 
Grand  Treasurer." 

James  Henderson,  who  then  represented  No.  20,  was  Grand  Sec- 
retary, pro  tern.,  in  1791. 

Cornelius  Buck  was  Grand  Treasurer  in  1791.  There  was  no 
representative  from  No.  14  this  year.  James  Henderson,  who 
was  Grand  Secretary,  pro  tern.,  was  also  clerk  of  a  committee,  of 
which  Jolm  Crawford  was  chairman. 

1792. 

Cornelius  Buck  was  Grand  Treasurer,  and  James  Henderson  was 
Grand  Secretary.  No  representatives  from  No.  14.  A  meeting 
was  held  July,  1792,  and  the  representatives  were  Archibald  Camp- 
bell and  William  Tathem.  October  1,  1792,  James  Henderson  was 
Grand  Secretary;  no  representative  from  No.  14.  October  29,  1792, 
James  Henderson,  Grand  Secretary.  Eepresentatives,  Horace  Aus- 
tin, Archibald  Campbell  and  William  Smith.  John  Marshall  was 
Deputy  Grand  Master.  October  31,  1792,  James  Henderson  was 
Grand  Secretary,  Archibald  Campbell,  of  No.  14,  was  Grand  Pur- 
suivant, pro  tern.  He  also  represented  No.  14.  November  1,  1792, 
William  Smith  represented  No.  14. 

1793. 

October  17,  1793,  no  representative.  John  Marshall  was  elected 
Grand  Master,  and  James  Henderson  was  still  Secretary.  Fleming, 
Elliott  and  Patteson  representatives  from  No.  14.  They  were  call- 
ed "representatives"  then ;  they  had  been  called  "deputies."  Fifteen 
pounds  was  voted  to  the  Grand  Secretary  for  his  services  the  pre- 
ceding year,  and  he  was  thanked  by  the  Grand  Lodge.  It  was  in- 
variably the  custom  in  those  days  to  thank  people  for  services  rend- 
ered.   It  was  the  day  of  courtesy  and  politeness. 

1794. 

No  representative  from  No.  14.  Dr.  Henderson  was  then  a  mem- 
ber of  No.  20. 

October,  1794,  William  Cameron  and  James  Patteson  represent- 
ed No.  14,  Cornelius  Buck  was  there  as  a  Past  Master. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  19 

November  7,  1794,  Nathaniel  W.  Price,  of  No.  10,  succeeded 
James  Henderson  as  Grand  Secretary.  "12  shillings  and  6  pence 
is  due  Brother  James  Henderson,  not  having  been  placed  to  his 
order."  That  was  the  report  of  the  Committee.  He  owed  the 
Lodge  five  pounds. 

1795. 

m 

June  13,  1795,  Cornelius  Buck  represented  Xo.  14. 

November  23,  1795,  Archibald  Campbell,  James  Patteson  and 
Win.  Cameron,  representatives.  Alexander  McRae,  of  No.  3,  was 
visitor,  and  so  was  Hugh  Stewart,  of  No.  14. 

November  24,  1795,  James  Patteson  and  John  Howlett,  repre- 
sented No.  14.  It  was  spelled  "Howlet."  It  is  now  written  "How- 
lett" by  Brother  E.  J.  Howlett,  of  No.  14,  who  is  a  grandson  of 
this  John  Howlett. 

June  18,  1795,  "a  dispensation  was  issued  this  day  for  the 
initiation  of  Miles  Bott."  According  to  the  petition  of  Cornelius 
Buck,  Master,  and  John  Fleming,  S.  W.,  and  Archibald  Campbell, 
J.  W.,  of  Lodge  No.  14,  the  Grand  Master,  John  Marshall,  granted 
the  dispensation.  This  Miles  Bott  built  the  house  now  occupied  by 
Mr.  Walter  Gill,  on  Coward  in  Avenue.  He  was  a  prominent  man 
in  his  day  and  was  one  of  the  veniremen  for  the  trial  of  Aaron 
Burr  for  1  reason  against  the  United  States. 

1796. 

November  28,  179G,  James  Strange  represented  No.  14. 

November  14,  1796,  "a  dispensation  was  issued  to  Brother  Wil- 
liam Waddill,  Past  Master,  appointing  him  to  meet  and  inspect 
seventeen  of  the  Lodges."  He  visited  No.  14  November  17,  1796, 
and  made  this  report  to  the  Grand  Lodge:  "Visited  Manchester 
Lodge,  No.  14;  I  find  this  Lodge  more  strict  in  their  discipline 
than  any  I  have  hitherto  visited,  but  attended  with  much  harmony 
and  regularity.  Their  meetings  above  the  majority  upon  the  aver- 
age; their  charter  not  recorded."  It  is  doubtful  whether  the 
charter  was  ever  recorded  in  the  minutes. 

1797. 

Richard  B.  Goode  and  John  Johnson  represented  No.  14.  Goode 
was  Grand  Secretary,  pro  tern.    He  was  from  Whitby,  below  Man- 


20  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

Chester  on  the  river.  November  28,  1797,  Abraham  M.  Cardoza 
and  John  Johnson  represented  No.  14.  "Scottsville  Lodge,  No. 
20,  was  permitted  to  suspend  their  working  until  they  found  it 
convenient  to  resume  it."  This  Scottsville  Lodge  was  in  Powha- 
tan county,  and  after  it  surrendered  its  charter  most  of  the  mem- 
bers joined  No.  14. 

1798. 

J.  Dunn,  A.  M.  Cardoza  and  J.  Johnson  represented  No.  14. 
No.  20  was  not  represented.  John  Dunn  was  a  Minister  of  the 
Gospel  and  was  Master  of  the  Lodge.  James  Brander  and  Jesse 
Hicks,  sometimes  spelled  Hix,  were  representatives. 

1799. 

James  A.  Patteson,  Eichard  B.  Goode  and  John  Howlet  repre- 
sented No.  14.  Richard  B.  Goode  was  elected  Senior  Grand  Dea- 
con. In  those  days  it  was  "Senior  Grand  Deacon,"  and  not,  as 
now,  "Grand  Senior  Deacon." 

Bernard  Markham  was  Master  of  No.  14,  and  the  Lodge  met  on 
the  third  Tuesday  of  each  month. 

1800. 

James  A.  Patteson,  John  Johnson  and  Eichard  B.  Goode  were 
representatives  to  the  Grand  Lodge. 

There  are  no  minute  books  of  the  Lodge  prior  to  1809  (as  here- 
tofore stated),  but  a  few  minutes  are  preserved  in  single  sheets. 
From  a  copy  of  the  minutes  of  December  16,  1800,  when  Eichard 
B.  Goode  was  Master,  pro  tern.,  "on  motion  of  Brother  Jos.  C. 
Brown,  and  seconded  by  Brother  Jas.  Scott,  it  was  resolved  that 
Brothers  John  Johnson  and  John  Jenkins  be  a  committee  to  wait 
on  Eev.  John  Dunn  and  to  request  the  favour  of  him  to  preach  a 
sermon  in  the  Hall  on  the  27th  of  December,  being  the  anni- 
versary of  St.  John  The  Evangelist. 

"On  motion  of  Brother  Senior  Warden  (John  Johnson),  and  sec- 
onded by  Brother  Junior  Warden  (Danl.  Chapman),  resolved  that 
a  subscription  be  opened  for  a  ball  on  the  27th  inst.,  in  commemora- 
tion of  the  anniversary  of  St.  John  The  Evangelist,  and  that  Broth- 
er John  Johnson,  Martin  Gordon  and  John  Jenkins  be  a  committee 
to  superintend  subscription  for  that  purpose." 


History  or  Manchester  Lodge.  21 


1801. 


Eichard  B.  Goode  was  elected  Grand  Senior  Deacon.  Alexander 
McEae,  of  Petersburg,  relative  of  the  Manchester  McBaes,  was 
then  Grand  Master. 

In  the  list  of  deaths  published  by  No.  14,  appears  the  names 
of  William  Cameron,  George  Mayo  and  Thomas  Banks. 

No  representation  or  return  from  No.  14  appear  in  the  Grand 
Lodge  records  for  this  year. 

1802. 

December,  1802,  Eichard  B.  Goode  was  Grand  Senior  Deacon; 
representatives  were  Henry  L.  Biscoe,  John  Johnson  and  Jos.  C. 
Brown.    Among  the  visitors  was  David  Patteson,  of  No.  14. 

Officers  of  No.  14 :  Henry  L.  Biscoe  was  Master,  John  Johnson, 
Senior  Warden;  Abraham  N.  Cardoza,  Junior  Warden;  Joseph  G. 
Brown,  Treasurer;  Jesse  Hicks,  Senior  Deacon;  Daniel  Weisiger, 
Junior  Deacon.;  Stewards,  John  Howlet  and  David  Patteson; 
Tiler,  Thomas  Upshaw;  Past  Masters,  Alexander  Banks,  Cornelius 
Buck  and  James  Patteson;  Master  Masons,  John  Branch,  James 
Brander,  John  Murchie,  Obadiah  'SmithJ  William  Ball,  John 
Jenkins,  Eichard  B.  Goode,  Isaac  Salle,  Daniel  Chapman,  James 
Lyle,  Jr.,  Thomas  Branch  and  Theodorick  Goode.  Entered  Ap- 
prentices: James  Scott,  Eobert  McTyre  and  Peter  Giglilland 
(Gilliland).    All  this  appear  in  the  Grand  Lodge  minutes. 

1803. 

Henry  Biscoe,  John  Johnson  and  Edward  Walford  represented 
No.  14  this  year  at  the  Grand  Lodge. 

"Changes:  Eichard  B.  Goode,  Secretary;  Thomas  N.  Cogltill, 
Junior  Deacon ;  William  B.  Clarke,  Senior  Deacon ;  Daniel  Wal- 
ford, Junior  SteAvard.  Master  Masons,  James  Brander,  Thomas 
Branch,  Daniel  Walford.  Fellow-crafts,  W.  B.  Clarke,  Thomas  N. 
Cogbill.  Entered  Apprentices,  James  McCormick,  Nicholas  Mills 
and  James  Clarke." 

1804. 

In  1804  James  Henderson  was  Master,  Eichard  B.  Goode,  Senior 
Warden;  David  Petterson,  Junior  Warden;  Daniel  Walford,  Sec- 


22  History  or  Manchester  Lodge. 

retary;  John  Howlet,  Treasurer;  Jesse  Hicks,  Steward;  James  A. 
Patteson,  Senior  Deacon;  Henry  L.  Biscoe,  Junior  Deacon: 
Thomas  Upshaw,  Tiler.  Past-Masters,  Alexander  Banks,  Cor- 
nelius Buck,  James  A.  Patteson  and  Henry  L.  Biscoe.  Master 
Masons,  Joseph  C.  Brown,  Obadiah  Smith,  John  Branch,  Thomas 
Branch,  James  Lyle,  Jr.,  Daniel  Weisiger,  Isaac  B.  Salle,  John 
Jenkins,  John  Johnson.  Fellow-crafts,  William  B.  Clarke,  Thomas 
N.  Cogbill.  Entered  Apprentices,  J.  M.  McCormick,  William  Ball. 
"Nic"  Mills,  Peter  Gilligland,  James  Clarke,  Jr.,  Robert  McTyre, 
Hector  N".  Organ,  George  Marckham,  Peter  Fuqua.  Brother  Mills 
was  called  "Mc  Mills,"  and  the  name  of  Peter  Giglilland  changed 
by  dropping  the  "g."  In  1802  it  was  spelled  Giglilland.  and  now 
it  is  spelled  Gilliland.  Sometimes  Isaac  Salle's  name  was  spelled 
Salley,  which  was  improper. 

1805. 

In  1805  Richard  B.  Goode  represented  ISTo.  14. 

In  1805  Richard  B.  Goode  was  Master,  John  Johnson,  Senior 
Warden;  Joseph  C.  Brown,  Junior  Warden;  James  Lyle,  Jr.,  Sec- 
retary; John  Howlet  was  Treasurer,  pro  ton.,  Jesse  Hicks  was 
Senior  Deacon,  John  Howlet  was  Junior  Deacon,  Thomas  Upshaw, 
Tiler.  John  Howlet  was  reported  as  holding  two  offices  in  the 
Lodge. 

1806-1807. 

In  180(5  and  1807  there  were  no  representatives  from  ISTo.  14  to 
the  Grand  Lodge. 

1808. 

In  1808  John  Johnson  and  Daniel  Weisiger  represented  No.  14. 
Richard  B.  Goode  and  Henry  L.  Biscoe,  both  being  Past  Masters, 
were  present. 

In  1808  John  I.  Johnson  was  Master,  and  the  Lodge  met  on  the 
first  Saturday.     The  death  of  Obecliah  Smith  was  reported. 

In  1809  Edward  D.  Diggs  (sometimes  spelled  Digges,  which 
was  the  original  way),  John  Branch  and  Beverly  C.  Stanard  repre- 
sented No.  14. 

The  deaths  of  Joseph  C.  Brown,  Obediah  Smith  and  Archibald 
McRae  were  reported. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  23 

1809. 

See  extracts  from  minutes  of  the  Lodge  following: 

1810. 

In  1810  Thomas  Upshaw  and  Henry  L.  Biscoe  died.  The  Lodge 
met  on  the.  first  Saturday. 

1812. 

In  1812  Daniel  Weisiger  was  appointed  on  committee  "to  super- 
intend the  department  of  Grand  Steward." 

The  Eight  Wor.  Grand  Lodge  of  Maryland  communicated  that 
there  had  recently  appeared  a  man  in  Baltimore,  "who  evidently 
makes  it  his  business  to  prey  on  the  unwary  of  our  order,  who  calls 
himself  Charles  de  Cueta  Maligni,  Marquis  de  Monserat.  This 
notorious  villain  is  well  known  in  Philadelphia  (probably  in  most 
of  the  cities  of  the  United  States)  ;  he  passed  under  different 
names.  He  has  passed  in  Philadelphia  under  the  name  of  Morino 
of  Acasta,  and  by  other  names.  He  was  advertised  in  Eelf's  Phila- 
delphia Gazette  in  1813,  18th  of  May:  "An  artful  swindler  by 
the  name  of  Don  Carlos  de  Justes  Y  Acasta,  alias  J.  M.  Marigni; 
speaks  English,  French  and  Spanish,  and  is  said  also  to  speak  the 
Portuguese  and  Italian  languages.  He  was  born  near  Yorktown." 
(This  man  was  in  Richmond  and  Manchester  and  saw  at  least  one 
of  the  brethren  of  No.  14.) 

1814. 

In  1814  Gilbert  Graham,  of  No.  14,  died,  and  his  death  Avas 
communicated  to  the  Grand  Lodge.  He  was  a  prominent  business 
man,  and  was  buried  in  Eichmond  at  Old  St.  John's  Church,  Man- 
chester Lodge  giving  him  a  Masonic  burial. 

A  Review  of  the  Minute  Books  of  No.  14. 

While  the  minute  books  of  the  Lodge  from  1786  to  1800,  cover- 
ing a  period  of  much  interest  to  Masonry  in  Virginia,  and  of  this 
Lodge  in  particular,  are  missing,  yet  Old  Fourteen  has  some  ex- 
ceedingly valuable  records  which  are  in  a  good  state  of  preservation, 


24  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

some  dating  back  to  the  very  beginning  of  the  Lodge,  consisting 
of  communications,  bills,  letters,  reports  and  statements  of  sundry 
kind.  But  a  reviewal  of  the  "Minute  Books"  will  first  be  made. 
This  reviewal,  which  follows,  will  embrace  various  entries,  and  will 
give  a  true  insight  into  the  old  records,  showing  much  done  by  the 
Lodge  from  1809  to  the  present  time,  1907. 

1809. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Lodge  held  December  4,  1809,  the  by-laws 
were  adopted  for  the  government  of  the  Lodge.  The  first  by-law 
relating  to  the  meeting  which  was  fixed  for  the  first  Saturday  in 
every  month  and  on  the  anniversary  of  St.  John  The  Baptist  and 
St.  John  The  Evangelist.  "No  Lodge  could  'be  holden'  out  of  the 
usual  course  unless  by  order  of  the  Master.  The  by-laws  further 
set  forth  that  every  member  shall  pay  due  respect  to  the  Master 
and  Wardens  on  entering  or  going  out  of  the  Lodge  and  deport 
himself  therein  with  the  strictest  propriety;  nor  shall  any  member 
leave  the  Lodge  without  the  permission  of  the  Master.  It  shall  be 
the  duty  encumbent  upon  the  Master  to  reprove  publicly  any  mem- 
ber who  shall  be  guilty  of  indecorous  conduct  during  the  session  of 
the  Lodge.  Any  member  who  shall  be  in  a  state  of  intoxication  or 
make  use  of  any  profane  swearing  abhorrent  to  morality,  and  the 
pure  principles  of  Masonry,  shall  be  conducted  out  of  the  room  by 

order  of  the  Master  and  not  permitted  to  to  make 

proper  concessions  to  the  Lodge."  (This  part  of  the  copy  of  the 
by-laws  has  been  worn  and  worm  eaten  and  was  pasted  together 
with  narrow  strips  of  paper  probably  in  November,  1880,  when  the 
old  papers  belonging  to  the  Lodge  were  carefully  placed  in  two 
small  trunks,  noAv  in  possession  of  the  Lodge.  Possibly  this  may 
have  been  done  in  1866  by  Brother  Oscar  Bridgewater.  These 
papers  were  evidently  in  good  shape  when  put  away,  but  the  lapse 
of  time  and  the  invasion  of  mice  has  somewhat  dilapidated  this 
part  of  the  records.)  Applications  were  at  this  time  required  to  lie 
over  for  one  month,  as  at  present,  "and  if  a  single  brother  is  found 
to  vote  against  his  initiation,  the  brother  thus  dissenting,  shall  wait 
upon  the  Master  and  Wardens  the  following  day  and  assign  the 
reasons  which  governed  him  in  his  dissent."  The  Master  and 
Wardens  upon  maturely  weighing  this (here  the 


V 

t 


Worshipful    John    H.    Ingram.    Dove   Lodge,   No.    51. 
Orator  on  the  Occasion  of  the  Laying-  of  the  Corner  Stone 
of  Manchester    Masonic   Temple. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  25 

v 

record  is  unintelligible,  but  sufficient  remains  to  show  that  the 
matter  is  again  taken  up  and  discussed  by  the  Lodge).  Any  per- 
son who  petitioned  the  Lodge  for  initiation  was  not  permitted  to 
withdraw  his  petition,  but  a  ballot  was  necessary  to  dispose  of  it. 
A  brother  could  not  be  passed  or  raised  before  the  Master  and 
"Wardens  shall,  either  by  private  or  public  examination,  at  the 
solicitation  of  the  candidate,  find  him  to  possess  a  competent 
knowledge  in  the  degree  from  which  he  desires  to  be  passed  or  rais- 
ed. Visitors  were  not  admitted  into  the  Lodge  unless  vouched  for 
by  a  Master  Mason,  "or  examined  by  a  deputation  from  the  Mas- 
ter." After  he  was  permitted  to  come  in  he  could  not  take  part  in 
the  debates  of  the  Lodge  without  the  "Solicitation  of  the  Master." 

The  annual  election  of  officers  "shall  be  holden"  at  the  Lodge 
immediately  preceding  the  anniversary  of  St.  John  The  Baptist. 

The  dues  were  "three  shillings,"  due  each  monthly  meeting.  "The 
Tiler  shall  receive  from  every  new  made  brother  nine  shillings  as 
charged  for  passing  or  raising,  and  on  the  festivals  of  St.  John  The 
Baptist  and  St.  John  The  Evangelist,  he  shall  receive  three  shil- 
lings from  each  member,  and  from  the  Treasurer  the  sum  of  one 
dollar  for  tiling."  "Should  any  member  fail  to  pay  his  dues  and 
arrearages  for  two  quarters  successively  such  brother  shall  be  de- 
prived by  suspension  of  the  privileges  of  the  Fraternity.  The  Sec- 
retary for  his  services  in  the  Lodge  shall  be  exempt  from  the  pay- 
ment of  all  fees  directed  by  the  by-laws."  The  Secretary  was  re- 
quired to  keep  an  alphabetical  list  of  all  suspensions  and  expul- 
sions communicated  to  this  Lodge.  These  suspensions  and  expul- 
sions were  sent  to  all  the  Lodges  by  the  Grand  Secretary.  Section 
first,  of  Article  twelve  of  the  by-laws,  set  forth :  "The  charter  shall 
be  read  once  every  quarter  and  these  by-laws  at  every  Lodge  in 
course  and  every  new  made  member."  Section  two  of  Article 
twelve  set  forth :  "Every  member  on  his  being  admitted  into  this 
Lodge  shall  subscribe  these  by-laws,  thereby  acknowledging  himself 
most  solemnly  bound  to  comply  strictly  with  them."  Section  three 
set  forth :  "No  candidate  shall  be  initiated,  passed  or  raised  or  any 
brother  admitted  a  member  of  this  Lodge  on  the  day  of  the  annual 
election,  nor  on  the  festivals  of  St.  John  The  Baptist  or  St.  John 
The  Evangelist."     Section  four  set  forth :     "Every  member  shall 


26  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

be  furnished  with  one  printed  copy  of  these  by-laws."  John  J. 
Johnson  was  Master  and  John  Jenkins  was  Secretary.  The  list 
of  officers  and  members  of  the  Lodge  were  as  follows : 

John  J.  Johnson Master, 

Daniel    Weisiger Senior   Warden. 

Edward   D.   Digges Junior  Warden, 

John    Johnson Secretary, 

John  Branch    Treasurer, 

Nicholas  Mills    Senior    Deacon, 

James   Fore    Junior    Deacon, 

Gilbert  Graham   Steward, 

Thomas  Upshaw    Tyler. 

PAST  MASTERS. 

James    Henderson,  Richard  B.    Goodc. 

James  A.  Patteson,  Henry  L.  Biscoe, 

Cornelius  Buck. 

MASTER  MASONS. 

John  Howlett,  Jesse  Hix,  Wm.  B.  Clarke,  Isaac  Salle,  Richard 
Hughes,  James  Brander,  Branch  T.  Archer,  Anderson  Fore,  Young 
Pankey,  John  Ashton,  Peter  F.  Smith,  Obediah  Winfree,  Beverly 
Stanard,  John  H.  Smith,  Abraham  S.  Wooldriclcc 

FELLOW  CRAFTS. 

James  Clarke,  Jr.,  Henry  Randolph. 

APPRENTICES. 

William  Ball,  Hector  M.  Organ,  George  Marcam  (Markham), 
Peyton  Fuqua,  Wiley  Jackson,  Hardeman  Royster,  Samuel  Patte- 
son, Edward  Johnson. — Total  of  39. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  27 

V 

Subscribing  to  the  By-laws. 

There  were  two  pages  reserved  in  the  record  for  the  members 
to  subscribe  to  the  by-laws,  and  some  did  not  subscribe  thereto  until 
as  late  as  1824.  Allen  McEae  subscribed  in  1809 ;  Thomas  Branch 
on  March  6,  1813.  This  brother  wrote  a  flourishing  hand,  one  not 
easily  forged.  E.  D.  Murchie,  the  Master,  when  he  began  his  name 
never  let  the  pen  leave  the  paper  until  he  had  finished,  uniting  the 
initials  with  the  surname.  Henry  Heth  wrote  an  exceedingly  plain 
hand.  Samuel  Patteson  was  not  a  good  penman,  but  evidently 
wrote  rapidly,  as  his  handwriting  would  indicate  him  to  be  a  rapid 
writer.  George  F.  Salle  subscribed  to  the  by-laws  in  1816;  he 
wrote  a  very  plain  hand.  Eichard  0.  Henderson  had  a  signature 
something  like  John  Hancock's  to  the  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence; he  affixed  his  autograph  to  the  by-laws  on  the  5th  day  of 
April,  1817;  he  was  a  son  of  Dr.  James  Henderson,  and  was  a 
counsellor  at  law.  This  writer  has  been  informed  by  one  who  knew 
Eichard  Henderson,  that  he  was  a  brilliant  man,  a  splendid  speaker 
and  exceedingly  witty.  On  one  occasion  during  a  banquet  over 
which  he  presided  as  toastmaster,  he  called  upon  a  citizen  of  Man- 
chester, known  for  his  penuriousness  and  fondness  for  making  safe 

loans,  and  said  that  the  next  speaker  would  be  Mr. ,  and  he 

proposed  this  toast:  "Twenty  per  cent,  per  month  and  damn  good 
security  at  that."  John  Braidwood  subscribed  to  the  by-laws  on 
the  4th  day  of  October,  1817,  and  in  doing  so  wrote  an  exceedingly 
legible  and  plain  hand,  every  letter  distinctly  written.  Braidwood 
has  the  distinction  of  being  the  man  who  established  the  first  Deaf 
and  Dumb  School  in  America.  James  H.  Patteson,  who  after- 
wards became  prominent  in  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Virginia,  affixed 
his  signature  to  the  by-laws  on  August  7,  1814,  and  A.  C.  Brander 
subscribed  subsequently. 

Sublime  and  Scientific  Oration. 

On  Saturday,  the  24th  day  of  June,  1809,  "an  oration  sublime 
and  scientific  was  delivered  by  the  Wor.  Eichard  B.  Goode,  Past 
Master,  appropriate  to  the  day,  for  which  he  received  the  unani- 
mous thanks  of  the  Lodge."    At  this  meeting  the  record  says :    "Tn 


28  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

due  form  the  Lodge  was  opened  in  the  first  degree  of  Masonry," 
and  at  the  next  meeting  the  record  shows  that  "in  due  form  the 
Lodge  was  opened  in  the  (3rd)  or  Past-Master's  degree,  when  the 
following  brethren  elected  were  duly  installed  in  their  respective 
offices :  Edward  U.  Diggs,  Warden ;  John  Branch,  Treasurer ; 
Nicholas  Mills,  Senior  Deacon,  and  James  Fore,  Junior  Deacon." 
It  appears  that  there  was  no  treasurer  installed  on  this  occasion. 
A  petition  from  Mr.  Young  Pankey,  praying  to  the  initiated,  was 
received  at  this  meeting,  and  when  the  Lodge  had  been  opened  in 
the  first  degree.  Mr.  Pankey  lived  in  the  house  now  standing  on 
Sixth  and  Porter  Streets  and  at  present  occupied  by  Mr.  Nunnally. 
A  committee  was  appointed  to  request  E.  Wor.  E.  B.  Goode  to  fur- 
nish the  manuscript  of  the  oration  delivered  at  the  previous  meet- 
ing, and  100  copies  of  the  same  were  ordered  to  be  printed.  The 
Lodge  ordered  a  bill  for  sundries,  amounting  to  $10.78,  to  be  paid 
at  this  meeting,  and  also  $38.65  for  suppers  furnished.  Just  how 
many  suppers  were  included  in  this  amount  was  not  stated.  "At 
a  monthly  meeting"  of  the  Lodge  held  on  Saturday  evening,  Sep- 
tember 2,  1809,  the  following  appears  in  the  record:  "The  com- 
mittee for  repairs  reported  sundry  repairs  done  to  the  Hall  by  Mr. 
Washington  Weisiger,  amounting  to  73  pounds  14  shillings  6  pence, 
of  which  (sum)  has  been  paid  by  their  order  on  the  Treasurer  the 
sum  of  58  pounds  16  shillings  0  pence,  leaving  a  balance  due  to 
Mr.  Weisiger  of  14  pounds  18  shillings  6  pence,  which  by  contract 

he  is  bound  to  receive  from  the  Lodge  in  bonds.  

Ordered  that  the  Treasurer  paid  in  bonds  the  aforesaid  balance  of 
14  pounds  18  shillings  6  pence."  The  Washington  Weisiger  referred 
to  was  the  grandfather  of  Mr.  E.  W.  Weisiger,  at  present  a  member 
of  the  Lodge  and  has  been  a  member  since  1863. 

At  "a  call  meeting"  on  September  8.  1809.  the  Lodge  was  opened 
in  the  second  degree  of  Masonry  for  the  examination  of  Brothers 
Young  Pankey  and  John  Ashton  in  the  second  (or  Fellow-crafts) 
degree,  and  subsequently  opened  in  the  third  (or  Masters')  degree, 
when  Brothers  Young  Pankey  and  J.  Ashton  were  severally  regu- 
larly introduced  and  received  the  degree  according  to  the  ancient 
custom  of  York  Masons ;  to  whom  the  Worshipful  Master  read  the 
usual  charge  and  gave  explanation  of  the  "Floor  Cloth."  At  this 
meeting  the  Lodge  directed  the  payment  of  a  bill  of  $6  to  "The 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  29 

v. 
«. 

Mutual  Assurance  Society  against  fire."  Samuel  Patteson  present- 
ed his  petition  "praying  to  be  initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  Ma- 
sonry at  this  meeting."  Saturday  evening,  November  i,  1809,  a 
visit  was  paid  to  the  Lodge  by  the  District  Deputy  Grand  Master, 
Solomon  Jacobs,  of  Eichmond,  "father  of  the  late  Solomon  Jacobs, 
whose  death  recently  occurred  in  Eichmond  at  an  advanced  age, 
and  who  at  the  time  of  his  death  was  a  member  of  the  Stewards' 
Committee  of  the  Grand  Lodge.  Edward  Johnson  was  balloted 
for  and  accepted  as  a  worthy  character  "and  was  regularly  intro- 
duced and  initiated  into  the  mysteries  of  Masonry  at  this  meeting- 
held  Saturday,  June  2,  1809."  Brothers  John  Branch  and  Bev. 
C.  Stanard  and  James  H.  Smith  were  appointed  to  represent  the 
Lodge  in  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Virginia  at  the  next  Grand  Annual 
Communication,  in  case  of  the  non-attendance  of  the  officers  of 
the  Lodge.  At  the  meeting  December  10,  1809,  the  Lodge  was 
opened  in  the  third  degree  of  Masonry,  "when  the  Worshipful  Mas- 
ter was  pleased  to  inform  the  brethren  that  the  Lodge  was  con- 
vened for  the  purpose  of  conferring  on  Brothers  Anderson  Fore 
and  Young  Pankey  the  degree  of  Past-Masters."  "The  Lodge  was 
then  (Wor.  J.  Myers  in  the  chair)  further  opened  in  the  Past- 
Master's  degree,  when  the  brothers  before  mentioned  were  regularly 
and  severally  introduced  and  received  the  degree  of  Past-Master." 
The  Lodge  was  then  opened  in  degree  of  Most  Excellent  Master, 
which  degree  was  conferred  on  Brothers  Anderson  Fore  and  Young 
Pankey.  Eichard  Booker  and  Allen  McEae  received  the  degree 
of  Entered  Apprentice  at  a  meeting  held  the  26th  day  of  December, 
1809. 

St.  John's  Supper  at  the  Old  Tavern. 

On  Wednesday,  the  27th  day  of  December,  1809,  the  Lodge  was 
"opened  in  the  first  degree  of  Masonry,"  when  the  Worshipful  Mas- 
ter was  pleased  to  inform  the  brethren  that  the  Lodge  was  convened 
/or  the  purpose  of  celebrating  the  day.  A  procession  was  accord- 
ingly formed  and  marched  to  Mr.  Zachariah  Brook's  tavern, 
where  an  elegant  supper  was  provided  for  the  occasion,  and  after 
partaking  of  the  same  the  brethren  returned  to  the  Hall  in  har- 
monious order.  Brook's  Tavern  was  what  we  remember  as  the  "Old 
Tavern,"  situated  opposite  Brother  D.  L.  Toney's  store,  on  Hull, 


30  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

between  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Streets.  In  the  early  days  of  the 
old  stage-coach  the  Old  Tavern  was  a  very  important  and  noted 
hostelry.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  brethren  returned  to  the 
Hall  in  harmonious  order.  The  fact  that  a  bill  had  been  ordered 
for  the  payment  of  sundries,  and  in  those  days  brandy  was  included 
in  the  list  of  sundries,  imagination  can  picture  that  some  of  the 
brethren  went  in  very  harmonious  order  to  the  old  Lodge-Koom  on 
Fifth  Street.  At  that  time  there  were  few  houses  above  Twelfth 
Street  in  Manchester,  and  in  returning  to  their  Lodge-Koom  most 
of  the  craftsmen  were  doubtless  returning  in  the  direction  of  their 
respective  homes.  Daniel  Weisiger  was  Master,  pro  tern,  at  this 
celebration,  and  he  was  well  equipped  to  preside  over  such  an  occa- 
sion. 

On  the  7th  day  of  January,  1810,  the  following  resolution  was 
adopted :  Resolved,  That  a  committee  be  appointed  for  the  purpose 
of  directing  an  alteration  of  the  medals  of  this  Lodge,  and  to  have 
one  made  for  the  Tiler,  and  to  have  the  'Floor  Cloth'  repainted, 
and  that  the  committee,  Beverly  C.  Stanard,  Richard  B.  Goode, 
Daniel  Weisiger,  Branch  T.  Archer  and  Edward  D.  Diggs  are 
charged  with  the  execution  of  this  resolution." 

Masonic  Funeral  at  Old  Plank  Church. 

This  same  committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  for  publication 
an  account  of  the  death  "of  our  Worthy  Brother  Thomas  Upshaw, 
and  provide  the  necessary  service  for  his  funeral,  which  ceremony 
shall  be  performed  on  Sunday,  the  14th  inst.,  at  11  o'clock,  and  that 
the  said  committee  be  authorized  to  draw  on  the  Treasurer  for  the 
amount  of  such  necessaries."  The  funeral  of  Brother  Upshaw  was 
evidently  very  largely  attended.  There  were  28  visiting  members 
present  at  the  Lodge  meetiDg  on  the  day  of  the  funeral.  Many  of 
them  were  brother  Masons  from  Richmond;  fifteen  being  from 
Lodge  No.  10;  John  Warrock,  the  author  of  Warrock's  Almanac, 
being  among  the  number.  The  procession  was  formed  and  march- 
ed from  the  Hall  to  the  Methodist  Meeting  House,  where  a  sermon 
was  delivered  by  Rev.  Hughes,  after  which  the  procession  pro- 
ceeded to  the  grave  of  the  deceased,  where  the  usual  ceremony  was 
performed  and  then  returned  in  proper  order  to  the  Hall.  Brother 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  31 

V 

( 

Upshaw  was  a  man  of  some  prominence  in  his  day  and  generation. 
There  was  a  band  of  music  at  his  funeral,  and  the  Lodge  paid 
$20  for  the  musicians,  and  paid  Rev.  Hughes  $10  to  preach  the 
funeral.  The  Methodist  Meeting  House  referred  to  was  the  old 
building  which  formerly  stood  on  Tenth  and  Porter  Streets,  and 
which  was  known  as  the  "Old  Plank  Church."  Brother  Upshaw 
was  a  school  teacher.  He  taught  the  youths  of  Manchester  and 
Chesterfield  and  was  a  most  persistent  collector  in  his  day.  Mem- 
bers of  the  Lodge  sent  their  children  to  him  to  be  taught  and  oc- 
casionally Brother  Upshaw  would  get  the  dues  of  the  Lodge  and 
his  tuition  fees  for  his  scholars  complicated.  On  one  occasion 
there  was  some  talk  among  the  brethren  about  this,  but  Brother 
Upshaw  explained  the  matter  satisfactory  to  the  Lodge.  He  was  a 
man  who  used  long  words,  and  there  was  a  vein  of  humor  running 
through  his  philipics,  several  of  which  this  writer  has  had  the 
pleasure  of  reading.  The  record  does  not  show  where  he  was 
buried.  Perhaps  it  was  in  the  graveyard  in  the  rear  of  the  "Old 
Plank  Church,"  where  many  were  interred  in  years  gone  by,  or 
more  probably  in  the  graveyard  in  the  rear  of  the  old  Masonic 
Hall,  Fifth  and  Bainbridge  Streets.  At  the  meeting  of  the  Lodge 
held  on  the  3rd  day  of  March,  1810,  this  paragraph  appears  in  the 
record:  "An  account  of  Mr.  Washington  Weisiger  against  this 
Lodge,  for  sundry  repairs  and  other  work  done  by  him,  was  pre- 
sented, amounting  to  7  pounds  12  shillings  6  pence,  and  ordered  to 
be  paid."  Brother  Robert  Smith  furnished  the  Lodge  sappers  at 
this  period  and  evidently  furnished  nice  ones  as  he  seemed  to  be 
liberally  paid.  Young  Pankey  was  Secretary,  pro  tern.,  of  the  Lodge 
occasionally  during  1810,  and  the  minutes  which  appear  over  his 
signature  show  that  he  was  indeed  a  skillful  penman.  Tn  1810 
the  Lodge  celebrated  the  festival  of  St.  John  The  Baptist  by  having 
a  big  dinner.  Brothers  Daniel  Weisiger,  Nicholas  Mills  and  Ed- 
ward B.  Diggs  were  appointed  a  committee  to  provide  for  this 
festival,  and  Brother  Branch  T.  Archer  was  requested  to  deliver  a 
Masonic  oration.  On  St.  John's  Day  the  Lodge  was  "duly  opened 
in  the  fourth  ot  Past-Masters'  Degree,  and  in  order  Brother  John 
H.  Smith  was  introduced  to  receive  the  benefit  of  a  Past  Master, 
after  which  and  agreeable  to  the  rules  and  order  of  York  Masonry" 
the  officers  elected  were  duly  installed.    "The  Lodge  was  then  open- 


32  History  or  Manchester  Lodge. 

ed  in  the  first  degree  of  Masonry  by  the  latter  officers,  when  the 
Rev.  Brother  Buchanan  delivered  a  sublime  discourse,  well  adapted 
to  the  occasion."  The  brethren  dined  together  and  the  Lodge  was 
closed  in  due  form  and  harmony.  The  Brother  Buchanan  referred 
to  was  Rev.  John  Buchanan,  of  Richmond,  who  was  a  minister  of 
note  in  his  day  and  a  most  interesting  account  of  his  ministry  in 
Richmond  is  found  in  the  book  entitled  "Two  Parsons."  At  a 
meeting  of  the  Lodge  held  in  the  Hall  on  Monday,  the  25th  day  of 
June,  the  Master  was  pleased  to  inform  the  brethren  "that  the 
Lodge  was  convened  for  the  purpose  of  continuing  the  celebration 
of  the  anniversary  of  St.  John.  The  brethren  repaired  to  the 
Tavern  of  Mr.  Zachariah  Brooks  (Hull  Street,  between  11th  and 
12th),  where  he  had  prepared  an  elegant  ball  for  the  occasion,  after 
which  the  brethren  returned  to  the  Lodge  in  order."  Daniel 
Weisiger  was  master  of  ceremonies.  There  is  nothing  appearing 
in  the  record  to  show  that  the  members  of  the  Lodge  were  good 
dancers  or  which  of  them  were  most  experienced  in  "the  light  fan- 
tastic toe,"  but  there  is  sufficient  reading  between  the  lines  for  the 
imagination  to  picture  that  they  all  kept  time  to  the  "fiddle,"  and 
the  popular  tune  was  "We  won't  go  home  until  morning." 

On  the  27th  day  of  June  there  was  a  visit  from  "William  W. 
Henning,  Past  Grand  Master  of  Richmond." 

The  record  shows  that  Cornelius  Buck,  who  was  a  very  prominent 
Mason  in  his  day  and  lived  at  "Buck  Hill,"  seemed  to  second  most 
of  the  resolutions  that  were  presented  in  the  Lodge  during  several 
years.  He  kept  a  store  in  Manchester  and  the  firm  was  Buck  & 
Craig. 

Wor.  Brother  John  J.  Johnson  was  accorded  a  vote  of  thanks 
from  the  Lodge,  which  was  ordered  to  be  extended  to  him  Satur- 
day, September  1,  1810,  by  a  committee,  who  presented  him  "a 
silver  medal  which  did  not  exceed  $20,  with  an  appropriate  motto 
inscribed  thereon."     The  words  of  the  inscription  are  not  given. 

The  committee  appointed  to  thank  Parson  Buchanan  for  his 
address  on  St.  John's  night  was  granted  two  indulgences. 

District  Deputy  Grand  Master  Jacobs  visited  the  Lodge  again 
on  the  1st  day  of  December,  1810.  He  was  announced  and  re- 
ceived, "his  credentials  being  read,  the  Worshipful  Master  resigned 
to  him  the  chair,  when  he  performed  the  services  pertaining  to  his 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  33 

office."     The  District  Deputy  Grand  Master  delivered  a  lecture  to 
the  Lodge. 

The  Lodge  celebrated  the  Anniversary  of  St.  John  The  Evan- 
gelist, December,  1810,  and  gave  a  ball  at  Brooks'  Tavern,  "where 
they  were  met  by  a  number  of  other  brethren,  where  an  elegant  sup- 
per was  provided  for  the  occasion,  and  after  partaking  of  the  same 
the  brethren  returned  to  the  Lodge  in  harmonious  order."  The 
brethren  appointed  to  wait  upon  Parson  Buchanan  and  thank  him 
for  the  address  which  he  had  delivered,  were  indulged  for  two  meet- 
ing nights,  and  on  the  third  meeting  night  they  reported  that  they 
had  not  seen  him,  and  it  was  then  deemed  too  late,  and  the  Com- 
mittee was  then  discharged.  A  committee  was  appointed  "to  pro- 
cure a  repainting  on  the  Floor  Cloth  of  Entered  Apprentices  or 
procure  a  new  cloth."  This  committee  consisted  of  Brothers  Ed- 
ward B.  Diggs  (sometimes  spelled  Digges  in  the  record),  James 
Fore  and  A.  S.  Wooldridge.  The  committee  made  no  report  at 
the  following  meeting. 

Parson  Buchanan. 

At  a  stated  meeting,  June  1,  1811,  on  motion  of  Brother  McRae, 
seconded  by  Brother  Archer,  it  was  "Resolved,  That  the  festival 
of  St.  John  The  Baptist  be  commemorated  by  a  sermon  in  the  Hall 
at  eleven  o'clock,  and  that  Brothers  Allen  McRae,  James  Fore, 
Thomas  Brackett  and  Branch  T.  Archer,  or  any  three  of  them,  be 
appointed  a  committee  to  wait  on  Parson  John  Buchanan  (it  was 
first  written  'Brother'  Buchanan  and  the  word  'Brother'  was  after- 
ward eliminated),  and  solicit  the  favor  of  him  to  deliver  a  Masonic 
sermon  in  the  Hall,  at  eleven  o'clock  on  the  24th  inst,  and  that 
said  committee  have  a  dinner  provided  at  the  hall  on  that  day; 
also  an  ice  cream  party  in  the  evening,  both  by  subscription." 
It  seems  that  Parson  Buchanan  did  not  accept  and  was  not  present 
on  the  occasion,  but  "the  brethren  were  entertained  with  an  ele- 
gant oration,  delivered  by  Brother  McRae,  to  a  numerous  audience ; 
a  sumptuous  dinner  was  also  provided  for  the  brethren,  who  dined 
together." 

At  a  meeting,  September  7,  1811,  James  Fore  was  Master,  pro 
tern.,  and  Richard  Booker  was  Secretarv.  The  minutes  concluded 
in  these  words :     "No  further  business  presenting,  the  Lodge  was 


34  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

closed  in  due  form  and  harmony.'*  Nicholas  Mills  was  the  Treas- 
urer of  the  Lodge.  He  was  connected  with  the  coal  industry  in 
Chesterfield  County,  and  was  the  father  of  Dr.  Charles  S.  Mills, 
of  Eichmond,  who  was  Collector  of  Customs  of  that  city,  and  whose 
death  occurred  some  years  ago.  Mr.  Nicholas  Mills  owned  "Buck 
Hill,"  and  his  son,  Dr.  Charles  S.  Mills,  was  born  there  in  1813. 

A  resolution  was  adopted,  December  7,  1811,  providing  for  a 
ball  to  celebrate  the  Anniversary  of  St.  John  The  Baptist,  at  Mr. 
Price's  Tavern,  on  lower  Hull  Street.  At  a  stated  monthly  meet- 
ing, March  7,  1812,  "the  Worshipful  Master  informed  the  brethren 
that  the  ballot  box  would  then  be  carried  around  to  determine  the 
admission  or  rejection  of  Mr.  John  Fowler,  who  stood  regularly 
recommended;  after  the  reception  and  examination  of  the  ballots 
he  was  reported  to  be  unanimously  approved."  June  6,  1812,  a 
resolution  was  adopted  to  celebrate  the  Anniversary  of  St.  John 
The  Baptist  by  a  dinner  in  the  Hall,  and  a  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  wait  on  the  Bev.  Mr.  Turner,  in  the  name  of  the  Lodge, 
and  solicit  him  to  deliver  a  sermon  in  the  Hall  on  that  day  at 
eleven  o'clock.  On  the  24th  day  of  June,  St.  John's  Day,  Mr. 
Turner  was  invited  to  "dine  at  the  Lodge."  "Mr.  Turner  entered 
and  delivered  a  very  elegant  and  appropriate  discourse." 

The  Lodge  received  official  notice  August  1,  1812,  of  the  death 
of  Bichard  B.  Goode,  District  Deputy  Grand  Master.  "His  body 
being  at  a  distance  from  his  late  dwelling  (Whitby),  and  conse- 
quently out  of  the  power  of  the  Lodge  to  perform  the  obsequies  of 
the  dead,  resolved,  therefore,  that  each  member  of  this  Lodge  will 
for  the  space  of  one  month  wear  crepe  on  the  left  arm,  as  a  testi- 
monial of  the  deep  sorrow  they  feel  for  his  loss."  December  5, 
1812,  this  was  adopted:  "Besolved.  That  the  Committee  of  Ar- 
rangements be  authorized  to  invite  young  men  or  not,  as  to  them 
may  seem  expedient."  This  had  reference  to  attendance  upon  the 
balls.  "Bev.  Brother  Joseph  Willard"  delivered  an  address  in  the 
Capitol  at  Eichmond,  to  commemorate  the  Anniversary  of  St.  John 
The  Baptist.  This  sermon  was  printed  by  the  Masonic  Lodges 
participating  in  the  occasion,  and  Manchester  Lodge,  No.  14,  con- 
tributed $7.50  for  the  expenses  and  directed  a  printed  copy  of  the 
sermon  to  be  sent  to  Brother  Willard. 

March  6,  1813,  "the  Lodge  was  closed  in  due  form  and  perfect 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  35 

%. 

1 

harmony."  Rev.  Mr.  Turner  delivered  an  address  to  the  Lodge 
on  the  24th  day  of  June,  1813,  and  received  a  vote  of  thanks  from 
the  Lodge.  Brother  Richard  Booker  resigned  the  Secretaryship  of 
the  Lodge  on  July  3,  1813,  "as  he  was  about  to  leave  us  in  defense 
of  his  country.'"  The  war  with  England  was  then  in  progress,  and 
the  martial  and  patriotic  spirit  of  the  times  found  lodgment  in  the 
heart  of  'Brother  Booker.  Richard  Booker's  signature  as  Secretary 
appeared  on  the  books  again  in  1814.  August  25,  1814,  '"'the  ballot 
box  was  then  sent  about  to  determine  the  admission  or  rejection 
of  the  candidates,  etc."  The  Lodge  convened  February  6,  1815, 
to  pay  the  last  tribute  of  respect  to  the  memory  of  Gilbert  Graham. 
"The  order  of  procession  being  arranged,  the  brethren  proceeded  to 
the  house  of  Mr.  Robert  Graham,  brother  of  the  deceased,  and  from 
thence  to  the  churchyard  in  Richmond,  where  the  remains  of  our 
departed  brother  were  interred  agreeably  to  the  ceremony  of  our 
Ancient  Order." 

The  Lodge  Retracts  a  Compliment. 

On  the  24th  day  of  June,  1815.  "Rev.  Robert  L.  Taylor,  Past- 
Master,  No.  1,  Norfolk,  and  Chaplain  to  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Vir- 
ginia, paid  a  visit  to  No.  14.  Rev.  Robert  L.  Taylor  delivered  a 
most  splendid  and  elegant  oration  prepared  for  the  occasion  to  a 
numerous  and  respectable  auditory  of  gentlemen  and  ladies  in 
the  Lodge  room,  after  which  the  brethren  partook  of  a  sumptuous 
dinner  provided  by  the  Committee  of  Arrangements  in  the  Hall." 
Brother  Taylor  was  subsequently  thanked  for  his  elegant  oration. 
At  the  meeting  on  Saturday,  October  7,  1815,  the  following  appears 
upon  the  record:  "On  motion  of  Brother  Stanard,  seconded  by 
Brother  Brander,  resolved,  unanimously,  that  the  resolutions  here- 
tofore entered  into  by  this  Lodge  in  relation  to  the  Rev.  Robert  L. 
Taylor  were  dictated  by  feelings  arising  from  a  belief  that  his 
principles  were  pure  and  his  object  universal  good;  but  such  has 
been  his  conduct  since  as  to  confer  the  belief  that  his  heart  is  base, 
and  he  unworthy  the  confidence  and  patronage  of  any  man,  particu- 
larly a  brother  Mason;  resolved,  therefore,  unanimously,  that  the 
said  resolution  be  rescinded." 

June  1,  1816,  resolution  was  adopted  to  wait  upon  Brother  John 
Buchanan  and  request  him  to  deliver  an  appropriate  discourse  in 


36  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

the  Hall  on  the  24th  day  of  June,  and  in  the  event  of  the  failure 
to  procure  him  they  solicited  the  Kev.  Kirkpatrick  to  perform  the 
services.  It  appears  that  Brother  Buchanan  was  evidently  the 
first  choice  of  the  Lodge  for  occasions  of  this  sort.  At  this  meeting 
a  claim  of  $10  was  allowed  to  Thomas  Vaden  &  Co.  This  Thomas 
Vaden  was  the  father  of  Thomas  Vaden,  Jr.,  who  died  at  Buck 
Hill  in  1877,  and  who  was  a  member  of  the  Lodge  for  a  number  of 
years.  Brother  John  Buchanan  accepted  the  invitation,  came  over 
and  delivered  the  address.  On  the  24th  day  of  June,  1816,  James 
Clarke  was  made  a  Past  Master.  He  was  a  member  of  a  family 
prominent  in  this  community  at  that  period  and  for  years  after- 
wards. The  Secretary  of  the  Lodge  did  not  attend  regularly  in 
1816  for  some  reason.  Samuel  Patteson,  B.  C.  Stanard,  Young 
Pankey  and  others,  acted  as  Secretary,  pro  tern.  Another  ball  was 
given  in  1816,  and  Brother  Puryear  furnished  the  eatables.  They 
evidently  enjoyed  the  repast  furnished  by  Brother  Puryear,  as  the 
record  would  indicate.  Among  those  who  attended  this  ball  were 
John  Dove,  of  Bicbmond,  the  author  of  the  Masonic  Digest. 

April,  1817,  Eichard  0.  Henderson  received  the  "first  Entered 
Apprentices  degree,  according  to  the  ancient  form." 

Saturday,  June  17,  1817,  the  record  closes  as  follows:  "Resolved, 
That  this  Lodge  now  adjourn  until  Monday  evening  at  seven 
o'clock."  June,  1817,  the  following  was  adopted:  "Resolved,  That 
the  Worshipful  Master  shall  procure  such  jewels  as  are  wanted  for 
the  Lodge  or  complete  the  order,  or  dispose  of  the  whole  or  any 
part  of  the  present  set,  as  he  may  judge  best,  with  any  other  fur- 
niture necessarily  attached  to  them."  "A  minute  book  for  the 
Secretary's  department  was  also  ordered  to  be  obtained."  G.  F. 
Salle  visited  the  Lodge  in  1817.  He  was  a  member  of  the  family 
of  Salles  of  Chesterfield  County,  and  a  lawyer  by  profession.  He 
was  the  "Old  Kasm"  in  that  amusing  book,  "Flush  Times  in 
Alabama,"  by  Baldwin.  Salle  was  regarded  as  the  most  sarcastic 
man  of  his  generation.  He  left  Virginia  and  settled  in  Alabama, 
and  succeeded  tolerably  well.  The  Lodge  paid  Brother  Puryear  $2 
for  ribbon.  Brother  Puryear  was  Master  of  Ceremonies  at  some 
of  the  famous  balls  given  by  the  Lodge,  and  it  is  therefore  pre- 
sumed that  the  committees  wore  ribbon  on  these  occasions.  James 
Henderson  was  Master  of  the  Lodge  in  1817,  and  his  son,  Eichard 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  37 

0.  Henderson,  was  Secretary.  Brother  James  Henderson  was  a 
prominent  physician  and  business  man,  and  his  home  was  on  the 
hill  between  10th  and  11th  and  Decatur  and  Stockton  Streets. 
Richard  Henderson  was  buried  at  this  old  home,  and  about  twenty 
years  ago  the  Lodge  directed  his  remains  to  be  removed  and  in- 
terred in  Maury  Cemetery.  This  writer  was  a  newspaper  reporter 
at  the  time,  and  on  visiting  the  grave  to  write  a  newspaper  article, 
made  some  inquiries  of  the  person  in  charge  of  the  disinterment. 
The  man  managed  to  gather  not  quite  a  water-bucket  of 
bones,  and  a  rain  storm  interfering  with  his  work,  he  said:  "This 
is  enough  bones  for  one  man."  These  bones  were  interred  in  Maury 
Cemetery,  leaving  the  balance  of  his  remains  to  rest  at  the  old 
home-place.  Of  course  the  Lodge  knew  nothing  of  these  facts  until 
long  years  afterwards.  April  4,  1818,  Saturday,  the  following 
appears  upon  the  minutes :  "On  motion  of  Brother  R.  0.  Hen- 
derson, seconded  by  Brother  Stanard,  resolved,  that  some  member 
be  deputed  to  vote  upon  the  house  and  lot  owned  in  fee  simple  by 
the  Manchester  Lodge,  at  the  next  election  of  delegates  for  the 
Virginia  Legislature."  On  motion  of  Brother  Stanard,  seconded 
by  Brother  Winfree,  resolved,  "that  our  Worthy  Brother  W.  A. 
Patteson,  he,  and  he  is  hereby,  authorized  to  represent  and  vote 
upon  the  house  and  lot  owned  in  fee  simple  by  this  Lodge  in  the 
town  of  Manchester  at  the  ensuing  election  of  delegates  to  repre- 
sent the  County  of  Chesterfield  in  the  next  General  Assembly  of 
Virginia."     Property  qualification  was  then  in  vogue. 

All  Officers  Saluted. 

In  April,  1818,  the  Lodge  paid  $25  "as  a  .sufficient  and  ample 
compensation  for  the  services  rendered,  it  being  as  much  as  has 
ever  been  paid  for  music  on  similar  occasions."  This  item  refers 
to  account  presented  by  the  Richmond  Band  against  the  Lodge  for 
music  at  the  funeral  of  Brother  Branch.  At  this  same  meeting 
the  officers  were  "saluted  with  the  Ancient  Honors  in  due  form." 
This  embraced  the  Secretary,  Treasurer,  Steward,  Senior  and 
Junior  Deacon,  and  Tiler. 

1817. 

On  Tuesday,  the  24th  of  June,  1817,  celebrating  the  Anniversary 


j?3 


38  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

of  St.  John  The  Baptist,  Eev.  John  Buchanan  "delivered  in  the 
Hall,  to  a  numerous  and  respectable  assembly  of  ladies  and  gentle- 
men, an  able,  eloquent  and  truly  Masonic  discourse."  It  was  the 
custom  in  those  times  to  read  the  by-laws  regularly,  and  they  were 
read  at  this  meeting. 

The  Lodge  adopted  the  following  resolution :  "Resolved,  That 
the  thanks  of  this  lodge  be  presented  to  our  highly  beloved  and 
much  respected  brother,  the  Eev.  John  Buchanan,  for  the  very  ex- 
pressive and  Masonic  discourse  this  day  delivered  by  him  in  the 
Hall  in  commemoration  of  St.  John  The  Baptist."  Brothers  James 
Henderson,  Richard  Booker  and  Beverley  C.  Stanard  were  appoint- 
ed a  committee  to  present  Brother  Buchanan  with  a  copy  of  the 
resolution.  At  this  festival  $9.50  was  paid  for  cake,  etc.,  and  $11 
for  two  gallons  of  wine. 

"A  called  meeting  was  kolden  3rd  of  July,  1817,  to  pay  the  last 
tribute  of  respect  to  the  remains  of  Brother  John  Jenkins.  Among 
the  visiting  brothers  on  this  occasion  were  John  J.  Johnson,  Mas- 
ter St.  John's  Lodge,  Xo.  36,  and  John  Dove.  The  Lodge  formed 
in  procession,  and  the  body  of  our  deceased  brother  was  committed 
to  the  grave  with  the  usual  Masonic  ceremony." 

"At  a  meeting  held  in  July,  1817,  $25  was  voted  to  pay  for  the 
music  at  the  funeral  of  our  late  brother,  John  Jenkins.  Henry 
Heth,  of  Midlothian,  was  among  those  present  at  this  meeting. 
At  this  meeting  a  resolution  was  adopted  directing  the  Stewards 
to  purchase  "five  pair  of  cheap  snuffers  for  the  use  of  the  Lodge." 
This  would   indicate  that  the  Lodge  used  candles  in  abundance. 

At  the  meeting,  July  28,  1817,  the  record  closes  as  follows: 
"Resolved,  That  the  Lodge  do  now  adjourn  until  Wednesday  even- 
ing next,  at  7  o'clock,  for  the  purpose  of  completing  unfinished 
business.     The  Lodge  was  then  closed." 

At  many  of  the  celebrations  in  the  olden  times  meetings  were 
held  in  the  daytime,  when  a  big  dinner  was  served,  and  when  the 
ceremonies  were  prolonged  into  the  night,  an  ice  cream  feast  gen- 
erally took  place,  particularly  at  the  festival  of  St.  John  The  Bap- 
tist. 

Opposed  to  Dual  Membership  in  Olden  Times. 

There  appears  in  the  record  of  Saturday,  August  2,  1817,  the 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  39 


v 


following:  "on  examining  the  proceedings  of  the  Grand  Lodge  at 
the  last  Annual  Communication,  the  Committee  was  surprised  to 
find  one  brother  in  the  representation  of  three  different  lodges, 
viz:  1,  16  and  56,  and  another  in  the  representation  of  not  less 
than  four,  viz:  1,  16,  56  and  100,  of  which  they  considered  ex- 
elusive  of  its  evident  impropriety  to  be  a  direct  violation  of  the 
regulation  "of  the  Grand  Lodge.  They  presume,  however,  this 
course  has  been  pursued  through  inadvertence,  and  only  for  its 
further  prevention,  nothing  more  is  necessary  than  to  bring  it  into 
view,  which  we  doubt  not  will  be  done  by  our  representatives  at 
our  next  Grand  Communication." 

September  6,  1817,  a  resolution  was  offered  by  Brother  R.  0. 
Henderson,  that  the  thanks  of  the  Lodge  be  presented  to  our 
worthy  Brother  and  late  Master,  Daniel  Weisiger,  for  the  strict 
attention  and  ability  which  he  evinced  during  the  time  he  presided. 
A  committee  was  appointed  to  obtain  a  suitable  medal,  with  the 
proper  inscription  thereon,  to  be  presented  to  Brother  Weisiger. 

"In  1817,  the  Lodge  was  called  to  pay  the  last  tribute  cf  respect 
to  Brother  Wor.  Joseph  Myers.  The  procession  was  then  formed 
and  proceeded  to  the  late  dwelling  of  the  deceased  and  from  thence 
to  the  burying  ground  in  Richmond,"  where  the  body  of  our  de- 
ceased brother  was  committed  to  the  grave  with  the  usual  Masonic 
ceremony." 

October  4,  1817,  J.  Braidwood  was  introduced  and  received  the 
first  prentices  degree  of  Masonry.  This  Brother  Braidwood,  as 
previously  stated,  started  the  first  school  for  deaf  mutes  in  America, 
and  the  first  general  school  for  this  purpose  was  conducted  in  the 
Old  Masonic  Hall,  in  Manchester.  The  by-laws  were  revised  this 
year. 

Among  the  by-laws  was  this,  under  the  head  of  initiation :  "Two 
dissentions  shall  reject  him,  but  when  there  appears  but  one  dis- 
sention,  such  dissentient  shall  state  the  reason  to  the  Master  or 
Wardens,  which  governed  him  in  his  dissent,  and  if  his  objections 
are  not  removed,  the  candidate  will  stand  rejected;  otherwise,  the 
Master  and  Wardens  may  direct  the  initiation  of  the  candidate. 
If  any  person  shall  petition  this  Lodge  for  initiation,  he  shall  not 
be  permitted  to  withdraw  the  petition,  but  shall  be  balloted  for 
and  disposed  of  by  the  Lodge," 


40  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

Brother  William  Goff  was  raised  to  the  third  degree  of  Masonry, 
Saturday,  October  18,  1817.  Brother  Goff  was  the  grandfather  of 
Mrs.  James  A.  Lipscomb,  whose  husband  has  been  chief  of  police 
of  Manchester  for  upwards  of  thirty  years. 

Saturday,  November  1,  1817,  the  following  was  adopted:  "Re- 
solved, That  a  committee  of  six  members  be  appointed  to  take  into 
the  consideration  the  situation  of  the  property  belonging  to  Lodge 
No.  14  (Old  Mason  Hall  on  Fifth  and  Bainbridge),  and  report 
their  information  to  the  Lodge  on  the  first  Saturday  in  December, 
next."  The  following  brothers  composed  the  above  committee: 
"B.  C.  Stanard,  Daniel  Weisiger,  Nicholas  Mills,  Allen  McBae, 
B.  0.  Henderson  and  James  Henderson."  At  this  meeting  the 
Lodge  appointed  a  committee  of  four,  E.  D.  Murchie,  B.  C.  Stan- 
ard, Allen  McEae  and  Daniel  Weisiger,  to  take  into  consideration 
the  celebration  of  St.  John  The  Evangelist. 

The  Lodge  gave  $15  "to  aid  Brother  Seth  Babbitt  to  prosecute 
his  journey  to  Fayetteville.  whither  he  says  he  is  going  to  join  his 
family." 

Brother  Eichard  0.  Henderson  was  Secretary  of  the  Lodge  dur- 
ing this  year  (1817),  and  it  is  remarkable  what  a  variety  of  hand- 
writing he  was  capable  of  indulging  in.  He  was  a  splendid  pens- 
man,  and  sometimes  it  looks  like  his  work  was  done  bv  a  goose- 
quill,  and  then  again,  by  a  fine  up-to-date  pen. 

Brother  Puryear,  who  had  supplied  the  Lodge  so  abundantly 
with  eatables  on  the  anniversary  celebrations,  resigned  as  Steward, 
and  the  Lodge  elected  William  Goff  as  his  successor. 

The  Committee  of  Accounts  made  a  report  in  1817,  showing  how 
the  various  members  stood.  Some  owed  as  much  as  $77.50.  The 
Lodge  had  a  membership  of  fifty,  and  the  statement  showed  that 
the  members  owed  $1,515  to  the  Lodge.  This  embraced  debts  for 
furniture,  etc. 

"December  27,  1817,  at  tbe  celebration  of  St.  John  The  Baptist, 
a  committee  appointed  to  obtain  and  present  to  our  late  Master, 
Daniel  Weisiger,  a  Past-Master's  medal,  etc.,  begged  leave  to  report 
that  they  have  performed  the  duties  assigned  them  in  relation  to 
said  medal,  etc."  Evidently  this  medal  was  not  presented  in  open 
meeting  at  the  Lodge,  but  was  just  handed  to  Brother  Weisiger 
informally  by  the  committee.     The  medal  cost  $25.     Considering 


V 


Worshipful  Aaron  I,.  Sampson,  Master  of  Xo.    14. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  41 

V 

the  purchasing  power  of  money  at  that  time  the  medal  was  doubt- 
less a  beautiful  one. 

December  27,  1817,  Richard  0.  Henderson  delivered  an  oration 
in  the  presence  of  the  brethren  and  citizens  assembled.  In  those 
times  the  members  of  the  Lodge  would  invite  citizens  of  the  town, 
and  the  Lodge  room  would  be  filled  with  the  most  prominent  and 
distinguished  men  of  Manchester  and  vicinity.  Richard  Hender- 
son was  a  splendid  speaker,  as  was  often  told  by  our  late  venerable 
Brother  W.  T.  Lithgow,  who  remembered  him  well.  The  state- 
ment of  Brother  Lithgow  is  verified  by  this  resolution,  which  ap- 
pears in  the  minutes  of  December  27,  1817 :  "Resolved,  unani- 
mously. That  the  thanks  of  this  Lodge  be  tendered  to  our  Worthy 
Brother,  Richard  0.  Henderson,  for  the  very  handsome,  appro- 
priate and  impressive  oration  delivered  by  him  in  the  hall,  and  that 
Brothers  Beverley  C.  Stanard,  Daniel  Weisiger  and  Brother  Geer, 
be,  and  are  hereby,  appointed  a  committee  to  wait  on  your  said 
brother,  and  request  of  him  a  copy  of  the  said  oration,  with  the 
view  to  its  being  published  at  the  expense  of  the  Lodge.'" 

At  this  same  meeting  a  resolution  was  adopted,  "That  Lodge 
No.  14  would  meet  in  the  Hall  in  Manchester  tomorrow,  at  half 
past  nine  o'clock,  a.  m.,  and  that  sufficient  number  proceed  to  the 
Hall  in  Richmond,  and  join  N"o.  19,  and  walk  in  procession  to  the 
Capitol,  to  hear  a  sermon  delivered  by  a  brother."  Rev.  John 
Buchanan  was  the  brother  who  delivered  this  address,  and  the 
Lodge  went  over  in  a  body  to  hear  him.  "He  delivered  a  most 
appropriate  and  impressive  Masonic  sermon."  Manchester  Lodge 
returned  in  procession  to  No.  19,  and  from  thence  to  Manchester. 
The  members  did  not  go  over  to  the  Capitol  in  carriages,  or 
vehicles,  but  the  record  says:  "they  walked  in  procession  over  to 
the  Masonic  Hall  in  Richmond."  The  craftsmen  of  today  are  not 
like  the  brethren  of  the  olden  times  in  this  respect. 

Most  Wor.  Wm.  A.  Patteson. 

January  17,  1818,  Brother  Wm.  A.  Patteson  was  examined  as 
to  his  proficiency  in  the  first  degree,  with  the  view  of  his  advance- 
ment. Afterwards  the  Lodge  was  immediately  opened  in  the  sec- 
ond degree,  and  Brother  Patteson  was  advanced. 

This  appears  in  the  record  of  February,  1818 :     "Whereas,  Tho 


42  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

room  in  the  Masonic  Hall,  lately  in  the  occupancy  of  Mr.  Kirk- 
patrick,  is  now  unoccupied,  and  likely  to  sustain  much  injury 
thereby,  resolved,  therefore,  that  the  Worshipful  Master  be  direct- 
ed to  resume  possession  of  said  room  for  the  Lodge,  and  provide 
such  locks,  etc.,  that  lie  may  presume  necessary  for  its  proper  pro- 
tection." The  Mr.  Kirkpatrick  was  an  Episcopal  Minister,  and 
taught  school  in  the  Old  Masonic  Hall  on  Fifth  Street.  John 
1)  raid  wood  was  his  assistant. 

March,  1817,  on  motion  of  Brother  Stanard,  and  seconded  by 
Brother  McRae,  "Resolved,  That  the  committee  appointed  for 
the  purpose  of  taking  into  consideration  the  situation  of  the 
property  belonging  to  Manchester  Lodge,  be  discharged.-' 

At  the  meeting,  June,  1818,  a  list  of  balance  due  to  the  Lodge 
is  given:  the  total  aggregated  $1,808.  There  were  fifty-six  mem- 
bers in  the  lodge  at  that  time.  Among  them  was  Branch  T.  Arch- 
er, William  Ball.  Cornelius  Buck,  James  Brander,  Richard  Booker, 
dames  Brackett,  Christopher  Branch,  Thomas  Ball,  0.  D.  Baker, 
John  Braidwood,  H.  L.  Biscoe,  Asa  Driscoll,  Peyton  Fuqua,  G.  W. 
(leer,  James  Henderson,  John  Howlett,  Jesse  Hicks,  Harry  Heth, 
Richard  0.  Henderson.  Joseph  Sowder,  Daniel  Weisigcr,  Allen 
McRae,  R.  D.  Murchie,  Samuel  Patteson,  William  A.  Patteson, 
Isaac  Salle.  Beverley  C.  Stanard,  Archibald  Wooldridge,  David 
Wallace,  A.  S.  Wooldridge,  Obadiah  Winfree,  all  prominent  citizens 
of  that  day  and  time.  The  record  shows  that  James  A.  Patteson 
died  this  year. 

The  report  of  the  Senior  Warden  on  the  "furniture"  was  order- 
ed to  1)0  recorded,  as  follows:  "Bible,  square  and  compass,  four 
senior  and  junior  wardens'  pillows,  four  deacons'  staffs,  one  wooden 
square,  24-inch  gauge,  walnut  ballot  box,  charter  for  the  lodge. 
with  tin  case ;  two  swords,  one  master's,  two  senior  wardens' ;  one 
secretary  and  treasurer's,  one  steward's,  one  deacon's,  one  tiler's 
medals;  four  gavels,  three  floor  cloths,  one  cushion,  two  copies 
A  hymen  Rezon."     The  Lodge  still  has  some  of  this  "furniture." 

Laying  Corner  Stoxe  oe  Old  St.  John's  Church. 

Thursday.  June  IS.  1818,  the  Lodge  proceeded  to  Masons'  Hall 
in  Richmond,  where,  in  consequence  of  the  unpropitious  weather, 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  43 

the  ceremony  of  laying  the  corner  stone  was  postponed  until 
Wednesday,  the  24th  inst.,  at  10  o'clock,  a.  in.  This  had  reference 
to  the  laying  of  the  corner  stone  of  St.  John's  Church  in  Eichmond. 
The  Church  had  already  heen  erected,  and  the  corner  stone  was 
evidently  laid  when  the  addition  was  built.  On  Wednesday,  the 
24th  inst.,  "the  Lodge  met  and  accepted  the  invitation  of  the 
Building  Committee  of  the  Lodge  in  Richmond  to  join  them  this 
day  in  laying  the  foundation  stone  of  St.  John's  Church,  and  that 
the  Lodge  do  now  proceed  to  the  Masons'  Hall  in  Eichmond.  The 
Lodge  proceeded,  agreeahle  thereto,  and  afterwards  Lodges  10, 
19  and  54  met  at  the  Hall  in  Eichmond,  and  the  whole  procession 
then  proceeded  to  the  Old  Church,  and  our  Brother  Hart  delivered 
to  the  members  and  a  large  congregation  an  elegant  address,  after 
which  the  members  returned  to  the  Masons'  Hall  of  Eichmond. 
On  motion  of  Brother  McEae,  the  united  Lodges  unanimously 
resolved  to  appoint  a  committee  to  wait  on  Brother  Hart  and  re- 
quest a  copy  of  his  address,  in  order  for  it  to  be  published  and 
preserved  in  our  archives.  Allen  McEae,  John  War  rock,  John 
Dove  and  John  H.  Eobertson,  were  appointed  on  this  committee." 
In  looking  over  the  archives  of  the  Lodge,  a  copy  of  this  address 
could  not  be  found. 

Friday,  September  18.  IS  18,  the  Lodge  was  opened  in  the 
fourth  degree  of  Masonry,  and  Brother  Eobert  Murchie  was  in- 
troduced  and  passed  to  the  degree  of  Master. 

October  3,  1818,  "Wor.  James  Henderson  Avas,  by  unanimous 
vote  of  this  Lodge,  chosen  to  be  recommended  as  Deputy  District 
Grand  Master  for  the  district. 

"Resolved.  That  the  Treasurer  be  instructed  to  pay  Mr.  John 
Warrock  $5  for  one  hundred  copies  of  the  address  delivered  by  the 
Rev.  Brother  J.  H.  Hart,  on  the  occasion  of  the  laying  of  the 
corner  stone  of  St.  Johns  Church."' 

"Resolved,  That  this  Lodge  will  celebrate  St.  John  The  Evange- 
list, by  giving  a  ball,  if  sufficient  number  of  subscriptions  for  that 
purpose  can  be  obtained."  The  committee  to  secure  subscriptions 
consisted  of  Wm.  A.  Patteson,  Andrew  L.  Addison  and  B.  D. 
Murchie. 

An  "adjourned"  meeting,  held  in  December,  1818.  "the  Lodge 


44  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

accepted  an  invitation  from  Wor.  W.  H.  Fitzwilson,  Master,  Lodge 
No.  19,  to  join  said  Lodge  in  procession  on  the  27th  of  December, 
next,  from  the  Masons'  Hall  in  Richmond,  to  the  Old  Church  (St. 
John's  Church),  for  the  purpose  of  attending  a  Masonic  sermon. 

The  committee  appointed  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  subscrip- 
tions to  the  Masonic  ball  in  Manchester,  reported  that  they  had 
obtained  37  subscriptions  for  that  purpose.     Whi  a.,  the  fol- 

lowing was  adopted:  "Resolved,  That  this  Lodge  will  celebrate 
the  birthday  of  St.  John  The  Evangelist,  by  a  ball,  on  the  28th 
inst.,  at  the  Manchester  Exchange/'  The  managers  of  this  ball 
were  Richard  Booker,  Daniel   Wi  .    '•:  suben   Johnston,   John 

Dove,  Richard  Henderson  and  W.  A.   Patteson.     "//  ■•''.  That 

the  said  managers  be  authorized  by  their  disoretion,  to  invite  a 
number   of  gentlemen,    not    '  -.    not   exceeding    twenty-five." 

This  ball  was  evidently  a  big  success.  31  contributed  for  it.  and 
25  invited  gn  62,  >uvc.     There  were  evidently  a  num- 

ber of  ladies  present,  and  there  was  certainly  more  than  one  hun- 
dred person  ■ni. 

The  question  of  looking  after  delinquent  members  is  no  \\r\\  one 
in  our  Lodge,  and  is  not  confined  to  our  day  and  generation, 
but,  as  far  back  a  3,  it  was  resolved  that  the  further  considera- 

tion of  the  order  respecting  delinquent   n  sequence 

of  the  inability  of  the  Committee  of  Accounts,  be  postponed  until 
the  first  meeting   in   April,  next. 

June  6,  1819,  the  Lodge  adopted  a  resolution  agreeing  to  per- 
mit Rev.  Mr.  Price  to  perform  religious  ceremonies  in  the  room 
lately  used  for  that  purpose,  on  condition  that  application  be  made 
to  the  Worshipful  Master  for  the  key  when  wanted,  and  returned 
to  him  immediately  upon  the  close  of  such  religious  ceremonies. 
An  application  was  made  at  this  meeting  by  the  late  Worshipful 
Master,  James  Henderson,  for  Mr.  Hutchinson  to  conduct  Sunday 
School  in  said  room,  which  was  granted,  subject  to  the  same  con- 
ditions as  aforesaid.  The  old  Lodge  room  was  used  for  religious 
purposes  until  within  the  recollection  of  some  of  the  present  mem- 
bers of  the  Lodge. 

June  24,  1819,  the  Lodge  proceeded  to  Richmond  and  joined  Xo. 
L9,  and  members  of  other  Lodges  at  the  Hall,  and  from  thence  they 
proceeded  to  the  Monumental  Church,  where  a  discourse   was  de-> 


History  or  Manchester  Lodge.  45 

V- 

Livered  by  tli'e  Eev.  Brother  Hart,  appropriate  to  the  anniversary 
of  St.  John  The  Baptist,  Whenever  Manchester  Lodge  visited 
Richmond  on  occasions  of  this  kind,  they  invariably  returned  to 
the  Masonic  Hull  in  Richmond,  and  from  thence  they  came  to 
Manchester. 

August,  1819,  an  account  was  presented  for  the  taxes  on  the 
Hall,  which,  being  paid  by  Brother  James  Henderson,  was  ordered 
to  be  passed  to  his  credit,  amounting  to  $5.75. 

On  November  10,  1819,  the  Lodge  convened  for  the  purpose  of 
bearing  a  lecture  from  Brother  Alnton.  which  he  delivered  in  Ap- 
prentices' degree.  This  resolution  was  subsequently  adopted: 
"Resolved,  That  Brother  Vinton  is  entitled  to  thanks  of  the  Lodge 
for  the  very  able  lecture  delivered  tins  evening,  on  toe  first  degree 
of  Masonry.*"  At  ibis  meeting  of  the  Lodge  there  was  present 
Patrick  Coutts,  one  of  the  owners  of  Courts'  Ferry.  When  Mayo's 
Bridge  was  built,  the  Couttses  tan  a  ferry  between  Manchester  and 
Eichmond,  just  below  the  end  of  Mayo's  Island.  Some  one  twitted 
one  of  the  Couttses  about  the  prospective  tailing  off  in  business 
after  this  bridge  was  built,  and  he  replied:  "My  name  is  Coutts, 
and  every  tub  shall  stand  upon  its  own  bottom."  The  late  Sher- 
win  McRae,  who  was  for  many  years  State  Librarian,  and  who 
lived  to  be  a  very  old  man,  delighted  to  tell  of  this  instance  in  the 
life  of  one  of  the  Couttses,  which  had  been  handed  clown  to  him 
by  one  of  the  older  citizens  This  Colonel  Sherwin  McEae  was  a 
near  relative  of  Allen  McRae.  whose  name  frequently  appears  in 
the  records  of  our  Lodge.  At  the  funeral  of  Colonel  Sherwin 
McEae,  Eev.  Dr.  Moses  D.  Hoge,  a  most  distinguished  Presbyterian 
divine,  conducted  the  services.  In  the  course  of  which  he  said: 
"We  are  about  to  bury  the  most  courteous  Virginian  I  have  ever 
known.'' 

December  4,  1819.  "Resolved.  That  a  committee  of  three  mem- 
bers be  appointed  to  procure,  as  expediently  as  possible,  such  re- 
pairs as  are  immediately  necessary  for  the  security  of  the  Hall, 
in  consequence  of  injuries  which  it  has  sustained  from  fire,  and 
make  a  report."'  This  committee  consisted  of  James  Henderson, 
E.  E.  Miller  and  William  Gofif.  It  would  appear  from  this  that 
the  Lodge  room  had  caught  on  fire,  and  had  been  damaged  to  some 
extent.  The  building  was  insured  as  far  back  as  1796,  as  an  old 
policy,  in  possession  of  the  Lodge,  will  show. 


4C)  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

No.  14,  in  conjunction  with  the  members  of  No.  19,  and  other 
Lodges,  determined  to  celebrate  the  anniversary  of  St.  John  The 
Evangelist,  by  participating  in  a  ball  at  the  Eagle  Tavern,  in 
Richmond,  in  1819. 

There  occurred  a  terrible  fire  in  Savannah  in  1819,  and  the 
communication  from  Brother  Hurt,  from  Lodge  No.  19,  relative 
to  our  suffering  brothers,  occasioned  by  the  late  calamitous  fire 
in  Savannah,  was  read,  and  the  Lodge  took  the  matter  under  con- 
sideration and  appointed  a  committee  to  do  the  necessary  tbing. 

On  motion  of  the  Worshipful  Past-Master,  James  Henderson, 
three  members  were  appointed  to  inquire  in  whom  the  fee  simple 
title  of  the  Hall,  as  at  presenl  vested,  and  make  a  report.  The 
members  of  the  foregoing  committee  were  the  Senior  and  Junior 
Wardens  and  Treasurer.  It  was  further  resolved,  "that  a  com- 
mittee be  appointed  to  inquire,  whether  any,  and  if  not,  what  gen- 
eral regulation  would  be  advisable  with  respect  to  regular  and 
periodical  transfer  of  the  fee  simple  title  to  the  real  property  of 
the  Lodo-e."  The  committee  was  to  eonsist  of  tlie  Senior  and  Junior 
Wardens  and  the  Worshipful   Master,  James  Henderson. 

1820. 

Saturday,  March  4,  1820,  the  committee  appointed  to  inquire 
into  the  fee  simple  title  of  the  Hall,  and  transfer  of  the  same, 
asked  leave  to  obtain  a  further  indulgence  to  make  their  report. 
June  3,  "Resolved,  That  no  examination  of  visitors  shall  here- 
after take  place  during  the  sittings  of  the  Lodge,  but  applicants 
to  visit,  who  shall  have  previously  been  ascertained  to  be  duly 
qualified,  may,  nevertheless,  be  admitted  as  usual." 

In  August,  1820,  "Resolved,  That  the  committee  heretofore 
appointed  to  ascertain  in  whom  the  legal  title  of  the  real  property 
of  the  Lodge  vested,  be  discharged  from  further  acting  thereon, 
and  that  a  committee  of  three  brothers,  or  any  two  of  them,  be  ap- 
pointed with  instructions  to  inquire,  witli  ah  practical  expedition, 
in  whom  the  said  title  now  vests,  and  make  a  report."  "Resolved, 
That  the  committee  heretofore  appointed  to  inquire,  whether  any, 
and  if  any,  what  general  regulation  would  be  advisable  with  re- 
spect to  regular  and  periodical  transfer  of  the  fee  simple  title  of 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  47 

V 

the  real  property  of  the  Lodge,  be  discharged  from  further  pro- 
ceedings thereon,  and  that  its  duties  be  assigned  to  a  committee  of 
three  members,  or  two  of  them,  with  instructions  to  report  as  soon 
as  practicable." 

"Resolved,  That  in  future  the  funds  for  initiation  must  be  paid 
previously  to  receiving  the  degree  of  Apprentice,  and  that  before 
any  member  can  be  examined  for  advancement,  he  must  pay  the 
advancement  fee,  as  well  as  all  antecedent  arrearages  to  be  shown 
by  receipt  or  certificate  from  the  Treasurer,  and  if  not  found  quali- 
fied, or  not  accepted,  the  fee  shall  be  re  turned. " 

"A  copy  of  the  by-laws  was  ordered  to  be  printed,  with  a  list 
of  members  annexed,  and  also  fifty  copies  in  huge  characters  of 
the  laws,  respecting  visitors,  and  which  copy  is  to  be  hung  up  in  the 
Hall,  the  Steward's  room,  the  preparing  room,  and  the  lobby." 

September  2,  1820,  the  committee  appointed  to  inquire  what 
general  regulation  would  be  advisable,  etc.,  to  transfer  the  fee 
simple  title  of  the  real  property  of  the  Lodge,  made  a  report,  which 
was  concurred  in  by  the  Lodge.  A  record  was  made  in  the  minutes : 
"Here  insert  report,"  but  the  report  was  never  inserted. 

"October  26,  1820,  the  Worshipful  Master  informed  the  Lodge 
that  it  was  called  together  to  render  our  last  duties  to  our  departed 
Brother,  John  Braidwood,  and  after  mentioning  the  form  of  the 
procession,  the  Lodge  proceeded  to  the  late  residence  of  the  de- 
ceased and  accompanied  his  remains  to  the  place  of  interment, 
when,  after  the  usual  ceremonies,  his  body  was  deposited  in  the 
grave,  when  the  procession  returned  to  the  Hall."  It  would  seem 
from  this  that  John  Braidwood  resided  in  Manchester,  and  was 
buried  here.  There  was  no  music  at  his  funeral,  at  least  the  record 
does  not  show  that  there  was  a  bill  paid  for  music.  His  funeral 
was  very  largely  attended.  Among  the  visiting  brothers  was  John 
I.  Johnson,  John  Dove,  of  No.  19;  James  B.  Roddy,  of  No.  10; 
Jos.  Viglinive,  of  No.  10;  Zachariah  Clarke,  of  No.  10;  J.  B. 
Richardson,  of  No.  19;  I).  E.  Hickey,  of  No.  1,  of  Norfolk;  Ed- 
mund Bedford,  of  No.  19,  of  Richmond.  His  funeral  was  not  con- 
ducted from  a  church  ;  in  fact,  there  was  only  one  church  in  Man- 
chester at  that  time,  and  that  was  the  "Old  Plank  Church,"  which 
stood  on  Tenth  and  Perry  Streets,  which  has  been  demolished  and 
pulled  down  in  the  last  few  years. 


48  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

Saturday,  December  2,  1820,  Worshipful  District  Deputy  Grand 
Master,  Brother  Cabell,  paid  a  visit  to  the  Lodge,  and  at  the  re- 
quest of  the  Worshipful  Master,  Brother  Cabell  took  the  seat  as 
presiding  officer  in  his  official  capacity  of  District  Deputy  Grand 
Master,  who  having  gone  through  the  examination  of  the  different 
departments  of  the  Lodge,  which  he  was  pleased  to  approbate,  he 
was  pleased  to  resign  the  chair  to  Wor.  John  0.  Henderson,  who 
was  then  Master.  This  Brother  Cabell  was  an  ancestor  of  Wor. 
J.  Allston  Cabell,  of  Bichmond,  who  has  been  an  honored  guest 
of  No.  14  on  festive  occasions. 

November  2,  1820,  in  obedience  to  the  order  of  Manchester 
Lodge,  August,  5,  1820,  the  undersigned  members  of  the  committee 
met  on  the  2nd  day  of  November,  1820.  and  agreed  on  the  follow- 
ing report : 

The  committee  beg  leave  to  state  that  by  a  reference  to  the 
records  of  the  County  Court  of  Chesterfield,  they  find  that  up- 
wards of  eleven  years  ago  the  real  property  of  the  Lodge  was  con- 
veyed by  deed  from  James  Lyle  to  Eichard  B.  Goode,  John  I. 
Johnson,  John  Eowlett,  Jesse  Hicks,  B.  L.  Biscoe,  B.  T.  Archer, 
and  A.  S.  Wooldridge,  and  their  heirs,  for  the  use  and  benefit  of 
the  Society  of  Free  Masons,  denominated  as  Manchester  Lodge, 
No.  14.  Jn  examining  this  deed  the  committee  would  remark  that 
James  Lyle  warrants  the  title  against  all  claims  in  himself,  or  in 
others. 

Secondly.  That  the  witnesses  to  the  deed  are  John  B.  Ogg, 
James  Liggan,  Eichard  A.  Saunders,  and  John  Haveningham,  of 
whom  Eichard  A.  Saunders  only  has  attended  to  prove  it  in  court . 
all  which  will  now  fully  appear  by  reference  to  our  authenticated 
copy  of  the  deed  in  question,  which  accompanies  this  report. 

Third.  That  John  Haveningham  is  dead:  James  Liggan  is  a 
resident  in  Manchester,  and  John  B.  Ogg  is  an  inhabitant  of  Nor- 
folk. 

The  committee  would  further  remark  that  the  ten  feet  allotted 
by  the  said  deed  for  a  passway  was  some  years  ago  encroached 
upon  by  A.  B.  Purvear,  inasmuch  as  he  dug  an  ice  house  clearly 
within  the  boundaries  thereof,  and  of  which  he  was  duly  apprised; 
that  since  the  tavern  fell  into  the  hands  of  his  successor  the  en- 
croachment has  been  mentioned  to  Mr.  Ball,  who,  notwithstanding, 
seemed  to  consider  the  whole  of  the  ice  house  included  in  the  con- 
veyance made  to  him  by  Mr.  Puryear ;  therefore,  upon  his  own 
and  not  the  Lodge's  property. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  49 

This  committer  was  James  Henderson,  William  Angus  and  Jo- 
seph  Sowder. 

It  was  resolved  that  this  same  committee  be  instructed  to  take 
the  necessary  steps  for  completing  the  record  of  the  said  deed. 

1821. 

On  the  5th  of  May.  1821,  the  record  says:  "The  Lodge  was 
opened  in  the  first  degree  of  Masonry."  Vespasian  Ellis  was  Sec- 
retary, pro  ton.,  of  the  meeting  on  May  12,  1821. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  members  of  the  committees  appointed  by 
the  Lodges  of  Manchester  and  Eichmond,  for  the  celebration  of 
the  festival  of  St.  John,  June,  1821,  the  following  was  adopted: 
"Resolved.  That  the  mode  of  celebrating  the  approaching  St.  John's 
Day,  as  it  will  happen  on  Sunday,  shall  be  such  that  while  it  pays 
due  regard  to  the  feelings  of  society  for  the  sanctity  of  the  Sab- 
bath, will  be  in  perfect  accordance  with  the  principles  of  Masonic 
institution.  Resolved,  That  the  celebration  be  in  the  Old  Church 
at  Eichmond;  that  our  Eev.  Brother  W.  H.  Hart,  Chaplain  of  the 
Lodges  in  the  city  of  Eichmond,  be  requested  to  deliver  a  sermon 
before  the  brethren,  and  that  our  Worthy  Brother,  Dr.  Buchanan, 
be  requested  to  assist  Brother  Hart  in  the  pious  services  of  the  day. 
Resolved,  That  the  Manchester  Lodge,  Xo.  14,  was  respectfully 
requested  to  preside  on  that  day.  Resolved,  That  Brother  Chevers 
be  authorized  to  procure  a  band  of  music  and  some  frugal  refresh- 
ments for  the  occasion,  and  that  the  aggregate  expenses  shall  not 
exceed  $24,  to  be  paid  by  the  four  lodges.  Resolved,  That  two 
hundred  copies  of  such  hymns,  as  may  be  selected  for  the  occasion, 
be  printed  and  the  amount  placed  with  the  general  bill  of  ex- 
penses." 

"The  Lodge  proceeded  to  the  Masons7  Hall,  in  the  city  of  Eich- 
mond, where  they  were  joined  by  a  number  of  brethren  of  Eich- 
mond, and  all  having  formed  a  consolidated  meeting,  walked  in 
procession  to  the  Old  Church,  where  an  excellent  and  appropriate 
sermon  was  delivered  by  our  Eev.  Brother,  W.  H.  Hart,  after  which 
the  procession  returned  to  the  Hall,  whence  the  brethren  adjourn- 
ed, and  in  the  evening  those  of  the  Manchester  Lodge  assembled 
in  their  room  and  proceeded  to  the  election  of  officers  for  the  en- 
suing year." 


50  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

In  August,  1821,  the  Committee  of  Accounts  made  a  report, 
showing  a  balance  due  the  Lodge  amounting  to  $1,450.53. 

Saturday,  November  3,  1821,  "Whereas,  Few  members  attend- 
ed this  evening,  probably  from  the  unfavorable  state  of  the  weather, 
and  the  sitting  of  the  Superior  Court,  of  Chesterfield,  resolved, 
that  the  Worshipful  District  Deputy  Grand  .Master  be  respectfully 
requested  to  visit  this  Lodge,  to  be  assembled  in  the  third  degree, 
on  the  second  Saturday  of  this  month,  and  that  the  Secretary  do 
give  special  notice  thereof  to  all  members  who  are  Master  Masons." 

On  November  14,  1821,  a  call  meeting  was  held  to  "pay  the 
last  tribute  of  respect  to  our  lamented  and  deceased  brother,  Joseph 
Sowder,  whose  remains  are  now  lying  at  Major  Smith's,  and  ac- 
cordingly proceeded  to  the  dwelling  of  Major  Smith,  where 
we  were  joined  by  a  number  of  brethren  from  No.  19  and  54.  The 
body  was  accordingly  conveyed  to  the  place  of  interment,  where  it 
was  performed  in  the  usual  Masonic  order." 

1822. 

June  24,  1822,  Brothers  E.  E.  Booker.  E.  0.  Henderson  and 
Peter  Archer  were  elected  as  Trustees  of  the  Lodge's  property,  in 
trust  for  the  use  of  the  members  of  this  Lodge. 

Petition  of  Mr.  'William  Walker,  "who  prays  to  be  introduced 
as  a  member  of  this  Lodge,  was  presented  and  laid  over  until  the 
next  meeting."  This  Mr.  Walker  was  afterwards  elected,  and  was 
one  of  the  "Three  Williams'*  that  kept  up  the  Lodge  for  a  num- 
ber of  years. 

On  account  of  a  clerical  error  Brother  Walker's  application  went 
over  longer  than  usual,  but  that  was  sufficiently  explained  at  the 
meeting,  held  the  2nd  day  of  November,  when  the  Lodge  consider- 
ed the  application,  and  Mr.  Walker  was  elected.  At  a  meeting  in 
Manchester,  October  28,  1822,  "Brother  E.  0.  Henderson  stated 
to  the  committee  that  low  health  renders  his  attendance  very  ques- 
tionable, and,  therefore,  requests  that  the  committee  will  be 
pleased  to  elect  a  Chairman  from  whom  more  certain  attendance 
may  be  expected.  Whereupon,  Resolved,  That  the  committee  will 
proceed  to  the  election  of  a  Chairman  during  the  present  meeting." 
This  had  reference  to  a  committee  that  had  been  appointed  by  the 
Lod^e. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  51 


1823. 


The  record  of  June  2-1,  1823,  appeared  to  have  been  edited  by 
some  one  who  had  tbe  knack  of  abridgment,  as  his  pen  was  drawn 
through  a  number  of  superfluous  words.  These  superfluous  words 
seemed  to  be  in  the  hand  of  Dr.  James  Henderson,  who  was  Sec- 
retary, pro  tern.,  and  probably  may  have  been  corrected  by  him,  or 
the  Worshipful  Master.  The  correction  referred  to  was  simply 
the  names  of  the  brethren  who  had  been  put  in  nomination  and  had 
been  defeated.  These  names  were  not  erased  sufficiently  to  prevent 
them  being  read  at  this  time.  This  is  the  only  record,  with  one 
exception,  in  120  years,  in  which  tbe  names  of  defeated  candi- 
dates for  office  have  been  inserted  in  the  record. 

September  6,  1823,  the  Committee  of  Accounts  reported  an  in- 
debtedness to  the  Lodge  by  the  members,  amounting  to  $1,467.92. 
In  this  report  the  committee  said,  among  other  things,  that  the 
committee  observed  that  it  has  been  the  misfortune  of  the  Lodge 
to  lose  a  number  of  members  considerably  indebted  to  the  Lodge, 
and  that  executors  and  administrators  have  no  legal  authority  for 
the  discharge  of  such  debts,  and  they  can  remain  on  the  books  of 
the  Lodge  only  as  incumbrances.  This  resolution  closed  these  ac- 
counts: "Resolved,  That  the  Treasurer  be  instructed  to  close  all 
open  accounts,  showing  balances  against  the  brethren  now  out- 
standing, by  charging  the  same  to  the  Lodge  account,"  The  fol- 
lowing was  also  adopted:  "Resolved,  That  the  Treasurer  be  in- 
structed, as  soon  as  conveniently  he  can,  to  provide  whatever  fur- 
niture may  be  necessary  for  the  safe-keeping  and  regular  arrange- 
ment of  all  books  and  papers  belonging  to  his  and  the  Secretary's 
departments,  so  that  each  of  these  officers  may  have  entire  custody 
of  whatever  belongs  to  his  office.'" 

"Brother  William  Walker  was  introduced  and  passed  in  due 
form  to  the  second  degree  of  Masonry  on  October  11,  1823." 

At  a  meeting,  December  6,  1823,  Brethren  John  B.  Richardson, 
Eichard  A.  Carrington,  John  A.  Carrington,  Richard  Adams  and 
John   A.   Smith,   of  Lodges   10  and   10,  were  visitors. 

December  27,  1823,  the  following  was  adopted:  "Resolved,  That 
the  Treasurer  is  hereby  instructed  to  pay  Brother  Pierce's  bill  for 
refreshments    at   the   Lodge   on   the   7th   inst.,   as   well   as   at   the 


52  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

present  meeting,  amounting  together  to  $4,121/,."'     Later  on   the 
half-cent  was  eliminated  from  the  United  States  mint. 

1821. 

Apri]  IT,  1824.  the  record  says:  "Brother  William  Walker  was 
accordingly  introduced  and,  with  much  solemnity,  raised  to  the 
sublime  degree  of  Master  Mason." 

June  20,  1824,  a  call  meeting  was  made  to  pay  the  last  tribute 
of  respect  to  "the  remains  of  our  much  beloved  and  respec 
Brother,  John  Cunliff,  who  departed  his  life  on  yesterday  morning." 
The  brethren  walked  in  procession  to  Richmond,  where  they  were 
joined  by  the  members  of  the  city  lodges;  they  then  proceeded  to 
the  Old  Churchyard,  and  after  depositing,  with  Masonic  solemnity, 
the  remains  of  their  brother,  they  returned  to  the  Hall  and  the 
Lodge  was  closed  in  ancient  form.  John  Cunliff  lias  a  number  of 
descendants  in  Manchester. 

June  24.  1824,  James  Fore  was  elected  Junior  Warden.  He 
has  a  number  of  descendants  in  this  vicinity. 

On  Saturday,  July  3,  1824,  visiting  brother,  John  Beth,  entered 
and  took  a  seat.  This  John  Heth  is  better  known  as  Jack  Heth. 
and  was  a  very  prominent  man  in  Chesterfield  in  his  day.  He  was 
operating  the  coal  mines  at  Midlothian  when  the  old  Coal  Car 
Railroad,  which  ran  down  what  is  now  Stockton  Street,  in  Man- 
chester, was  built.  He  was  the  father  of  General  Harry  Heth,  of 
Confederate  fame,  and  the  grandfather  of  the  wile  of  this  writer. 

Brothers  Aly  Fore,  William  Walker.  George  L.  Sampson  and 
Edward  Furguson  received  the  Past  Masters'  degree  on  August 
7,  1824. 

Saturday,  October  30,  1824,  the  Lodge  was  opened  in  the  first 
degree.  "The  Worshipful  Master  informed  the  brethren  that  they 
were  assembled  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  into  effect  the  resolu- 
tion of  the  Joint  Committee,  conformably  to  the  proceedings  of 
the  Lodge  on  the  12th  inst.  The  Worshipful  Master  observed  that 
these  resolutions,  in  consequence  of  their  extent  and  the  close  en- 
gagements of  the  Secretary  of  your  Committee,  could  not  be  ob- 
tained in  regular  form,  but  would  afterwards  be  furnished;  in  the 
meantime,  he  stated  so  much  thereof  as  was  necessary  for  the  move- 
ments of  the  Lodge.     In  accordance  therewith,  the  brethren  gen- 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  53 

erally  proceeded  to  the  Masons'  Hall  in  Richmond,  where  they  were 
met  by  numerous  assemblage  of  brethren  from  those  lodges,  as  well 
as  visitors  from  distant  parts  of  the  county.  The  illustrious 
brother,  Lafayette,  was  introduced,  with  appropriate  honors,  and 
the  brethren,  in  Masonic  order,  proceeded  with  their  guest  to  the 
Union  Hall,  where  they  dined  and  passed  the  evening  in  great 
fraternal,  satisfaction,  and  after  having,  at  a  late  hour,  escorted 
him  to  his  lodgings  at  the  Eagle  Hall,  the  brethren  of  the  different 
lodges  separated." 

On  the  morning  of  the  olst  the  members  of  Manchester  Lodge 
assembled  at  the  Hall,  and  the  Worshipful  Master  informed  them 
that  this  day  was  appointed  to  perform  the  last  duties  of  respect 
to  the  memory  of  our  deceased  brother,  James  Fore.  The  brethren 
in  general  proceeded  to  the  house  of  Anderson  Fore,  and  with  due 
solemnity,  committed  to  the  parent  earth  the  remains  of  our  much 
respected  brother,  James  Fore. 

December  4,  1824,  the  following  appears:  "The  Senior  Warden 
].) resented  a  newspaper,  taken  from  the  post  office,  and  addressed 
to  the  Lodge.  Resolved,  That  said  newspaper  be  put  into  the  hands 
of  a  committee,  consisting  of  Brothers  J.  Henderson,  G.  L.  Samp- 
son and  P.  F.  Smith,  with  instructions  to  report  thereon  at  the 
next  regular  meeting  of  Apprentices." 

At  the  next  meeting  of  the  Lodge  further  time  was  allowed  this 
committee  to  report,  and  also  at  the  following  meeting.  This 
newspaper  was  considered  at  several  meetings,  and  the  result  was 
never  reported. 

1825. 

The  meeting,  Saturday,  January  5.  1825,  the  following  appears: 
"An  account  was  presented  in  behalf  of  Brother  P.  F.  Smith,  for 
expenses  incurred  by  himself  and  other  members  attending  the 
Joint  Committee  of  Arrangements  for  receiving  Brother  Lafayette, 
amounting  to  $2.75,  which  was  ordered  to  be  paid." 

Friday,  June  24,  1825,  Brother  William  Walker  was  elected 
Senior  Deacon. 

July  8,  1825.  "the  Worshipful  Master  informed  the  brethren 
that  in  pursuance  of  an  invitation  from  No.  10,  they  are  convened 
for  the  purpose  of  meeting  said  Lodge  for  the  purpose  of  laying 


54  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

the  corner  stone  for  the  new  Courthouse  of  Henrico  County."  The 
Lodge  then  proceeded  to  Richmond  and  joined  in  the  laying  of 
this  corner  stone. 

August  6,  1825,  "the  Lodge  received  a  visit  from  the  District 
Deputy  Grand  Master,  John  Dove,  who  furnished  a  luminous  and 
extended  exemplification  of  the  mode  of  working,  recommended 
by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Virginia." 

In  1825,  October  4,  Brother  N.  C.  Pierce,  Tiler,  by  the  Master's 
order,  purchased  two  cushions  at  $3,  and  three  gavels  at  $1.50,  and 
this  bill  was  ordered  to  be  paid.  Maybe  we  have  the  remains  of 
those  cushions  in  the  Lodge  room  now. 

On  December  11,  1825,  "the  Worshipful  Master  apprised  the 
Lodge  that  they  were  convened  for  the  purpose  of  paying  the  last 
tribute  of  respect  to  our  deceased  brother,  Allen  McBae,  late  Senior 
Warden  of  the  Lodge." 

"By  invitation  of  the  Worshipful  Master.  Lodge  No.  10  attended 
and  assisted  in  the  proceedings.  For  want  of  time  to  give  the 
necessary  notice  Xos.  19  and  54  were  not  invited.  The  procession 
proceeded  from  the  Hall  to  Zach.  Brooks'  Tavern,  where  the  body 
was,  and  after  having  placed  it  in  the  hearse,  proceeded  to  the  ex- 
treme end  of  the  town,  where  No.  10  left  us,  and  No.  1  -I  continued 
with  the  body  to  the  place  of  interment,  and  after  having  paid  the 
last  tribute  of  respect  to  our  much  Lamented  brother,  McBae,  re- 
turned to  the  Hall,  and  then  the  Lodge  adjourned."  The  borne  of 
Brother  McBae  was  in   the  vicinity  of  Bon  Air. 

1820. 

Saturday,  January  ].  L826,  "one-third  of  Brother  J.  Warwick's 
bill  for  furnishing  admission  tickets  to  the  dinner  given  Brother 
Lafayette,  amounting  to  $2.67,  was  ordered  to  be  paid."  The 
balance  of  this  account  was  paid  by  other  lodges  participating. 

Brothei1  W.  A.  Patteson  was  declared  duly  elected  Senior  War- 
den of  the  Lodge.  The  record  says:  "Brothers  George  L.  Samp- 
son and  W.  A.  Patterson  were  nominated  to  fill  the  office  of  Senior 
Warden,  and  on  the  count  of  ballots  Brother  W.  A.  Patteson  was 
declared  duly  elected  Senior  Warden  of  this  Lodge."  This  is  the 
other  instance  where  the  name  of  the  defeated  brother  appeared 
in  the  record. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  55 

On  Saturday,  April  26,  1826,  "Resolved.  That  the  Treasurer 
be  directed  to  pay  Mr.  Mann  $15,  for  music  furnished  at  the  funeral 
of  our  late  brother,  Allen  McEae,  that  sum  being  understood  by 
this  Lodge  to  be  the  usual  fee  on  such  occasions."  Brother  Mann 
had  doubtless  performed  similar  survices  for  the  Richmond  Lodges, 
and  had  a  uniform  rate. 

June  3.  1826,  "Resolved,  'That  Brothers  James  H.  Patteson, 
William  Goff,  Ed.  Fuqua,  William  Walker  and  A.  C.  Brander  be  a 
committee  to  wait  on  Brother  Henderson,  and  request  of  him  to 
favour  us  with  an  oration  on  the  24th  of  June,  and  that  the  fore- 
going brethren  be  likewise  a  committee  of  arrangements." 

June  24,  1826,  "a  letter  was  received  from  Brother  James  Hen- 
derson, Secretary,  requesting  the  Lodge  not  to  re-elect  him."' 

"The  Lodge  passed  a  portion  of  the  day,  June  24th,  1826,  in 
social  and  fraternal  hilarity,  mindful  of  the  distinguished  Masonic 
virtues  of  St.  John." 

July  1,  1826,  "a  bill  was  presented  by  Brother  A.  C.  Brander, 
for  six  spittoons,  purchased  for  this  Lodge,  amounting  to  $6,  which 
was  ordered  to  be  passed  to  his  credit." 

It  would  seem  that  the  brethren  in  those  days  used  tobacco,  and 
used  it  in  the  Lodge  room. 

Saturday,  October  7,  1826,  the  following  appears  in  the  record: 
"Whereas,  Many  of  the  members  of  this  Lodge  are  now,  and  long 
have  been,  largely  indebted  thereto,  and  it  is  but  too  true  that  the 
whole  expenses  of  the  Lodge  have  been  defrayed  by  a  small  portion 
of  the  members;  be  it  therefore,  resolved,  that  Brother  T.  T.  Bur- 
foot.  James  Henderson  and  Ed.  Purguson,  any  two  of  whom  may 
act,  be  appointed  a  committee  to  take  this  subject  under  considera- 
tion and  report  at  the  next  regular  meeting  of  Apprentices,  the 
steps  which  should  be  taken  by  the  Lodge  for  the  purpose  of 
remedying  this  evil,  which  has  become  at  length  totally  insuffer- 
able." 

December  2,  182(5.  District  Deputy  Grand  Master,  John  Dove, 
paid  the  Lodge  a  visit. 

December  2.  1826,  the  committee  appointed  October  7,  1826,  to 
take  into  consideration  the  debts  due  to  the  Lodge,  etc.,  made  a 
report,  the  substance  of  which  was  expressed  in  one  of  the  four 
resolutions  adopted:     "Resolved,  That  as  many  of  the  brothers  are 


56  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

indebted  for  a  large  amount,  and  as  it  may  be  attended  with  in- 
convenience to  be  required  to  pay  the  same  at  once,  we  suggest  the 
propriety  of  allowing  them  to  give  their  notes  for  four,  eight  and 
twelve  months,  for  their  respective  dues,  payable  to  E.  E.  Miller." 

The  District  Deputy  G  rand  Master,  in  a  patient  and  instructively 
manner,  elucidated  the  mode  of  working  in  the  two  first  degrees 
of  Masonry. 

On  December  5,  Ls2<>.  Right  Worshipful  District  Deputy  Grand 
Master,  John  Dove,  visited  the  Lodge  and  delivered  a  lengthy  and 
instructive  lecture  in  the  third  degree  of  Masonry.  The  form  of 
closing  of  the  minutes  ;ii  ilns  time  was  in  these  words:  ''and  then 
the  Lodge  was  closed." 

1X27. 

February  '!.  L827,  William  W.  Weisiger  was  admitted  and  initi- 
ated into  the  mysteries  of  Masonry,  in  due  and  ancient  form,  and 
the  Treasurer  being  satisfied  for  his  initiation  fee,  he  became  a 
member  of  the  Lodg''. 

March  3,  1827.  "The  report  of  the  committee  appointed  to  ex- 
amine the  locks  to  the  Hall  and  have  same  repaired,  was  presented 
and  accepted.  A  bill  was  presented  for  repairs  done  to  the  locks 
of  the  Hall  by  Brother  William  Adcott,  amounting  to  $4,  which 
was  ordered  to  be  paid." 

Saturday,  April  20,  1827,  seemed  to  be  pay  day  at  the  Lodge; 
all  the  brethren  scrambled  to  settle  up.  Notes  and  checks  came  in 
a  rush  for  dues.    The  report  of  the  committee  had  that  good  effect. 

June  2,  1827.  "Resolved,  That  a  standing  committee  be  appoint- 
ed to  have,  at  all  times,  repairs  done  to  the  Lodge  building,  and  the 
lot  for  the  present,  and  the  leak  in  the  roof  repaired,  and  to  have 
the  boundary  line  of  the  lot  ascertained  and  the  same  enclosed  with 
a  close  fence."  Brothers  James  Henderson,  James  Brander,  Wil- 
liam Adcott  and  E.  E.  Miller  to  compose  said  committee. 

"Resolved,  That  Brothers  E.  B.  Miller  and  James  H.  Patteson 
be  appointed  a  committee  for  the  purpose  of  waiting  on  Brother 
Hart,  and  soliciting  him  to  preach  a  Masonic  sermon  in  the 
Masonic  Hall,  in  Manchester,  on  Sunday,  June  24,  and  that  said 
Committee  apprise  the  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Society,  who  had 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  57 

V 

been  permitted  to  use  the  Hall,  that  we  shall  want  the  Hall  on 
that  day." 

June  24,  1827,  The  Worshipful  Master  communicated  an  invi- 
tation from  Nos.  10  and  19,  in  the  city  of  Richmond,  by  their 
committees,  inviting  this  Lodge  to  attend  a  Masonic  sermon,  to 
be  delivered  at  the  Old  Church,  on  Church  Hill,  by  our  Rev.  Broth- 
er William  H.  Hart,  commemorative  of  the  anniversary  of  St.  John 
The  Baptist,  in  accordance  with  the  arrangements  made  by  these 
Lodges.  Whereupon,  "Resolved,  That  this  Lodge,  duly  esteeming 
the  fraternal  politeness  of  our  sister  Lodges,  Nos  10  and  19,  and 
justly  reverencing  the  occasion,  accept  their  invitation,  and  will 
attend  accordingly."  The  Lodge  proceeded  from  the  Hall  to  the 
Masonic  Hall,  in  the  city  of  Richmond,  and  there  joined  the  pro- 
cession, and  proceeded  from  thence  to  the  Old  Church,  on  Church 
Hill,  and  listened  to  an  appropriate  sermon  delivered  by  our  Rev. 
Brother  William  H.  Hart,  from  thence  to  the  Hall  in  the  city  of 
Richmond  and  back  to  our  own  Hall."  ''Resolved,  That  this  Lodge, 
justly  esteeming  the  services  our  brother,  Wm.  H.  Hart,  has  ren- 
dered us  this  day,  direct  the  Treasurer  to  hand  him  $15,  as  a  token 
of  our  respect  and  regard  for  the  same." 

"Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  the  Lodge  be  returned  to  Miss 
Martha  Brander,  for  the  neat  and  tasty  manner  she  has  trimmed 
the  jewels  of  this  Lodge,  and  that  a  committee  be  appointed  for  that 
purpose,  and  the  committee  to  consist  of  Brothers  James  H.  Patte- 
son,  R.  R.  Miller  and  William  W.  Weisiger." 

The  committee  appointed  to  have  the  lost  jewels  of  the  Lodge 
replaced,  and  the  other  jewels  newly  trimmed,  reported  that  they 
had  performed  that  duty  and  handed  their  bill,  amounting  to 
$26.24,  which  was  ordered  to  be  paid. 

August  4,  1827.  "Resolved,  That  the  Treasurer  be  directed  to 
pay  to  Brother  John  Warrock  $4,  in  full,  for  printing  fifty  copies, 
for  the  use  of  this  Lodge  of  the  sermon  delivered  by  Rev.  Brother 
William  H.  Hart  on  ruled  line." 

The  committee  appointed  by  the  Lodge  to  tender  their  thanks  to 
Miss  Martha  Brander  for  trimming  the  jewels  of  the  Lodge,  re- 
ported that  they  had  performed  that  duty. 

On  Saturday,  September  1,  1827.  "Resolved,  That  the  sum  of 
$5  be  appropriated,  out  of  the  sums  of  the  Lodge,  for  the  purpose 


58  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

of  aiding  in  the  erection  of  the  Hall  in  the  town  of  Portsmouth, 
in  accordance  with  the  request  made  by  Brothers  Mordica  Cook, 
John  A.  Murdock  and  Charles  A.  Grist,  the  committee  appointed 
to  solicit  subscriptions  for  that  purpose,  and  that  the  Worshipful 
Master  answer  their  communication. 

Saturday,  September  15,  1827,  Brother  W.  W.  Weisiger  was  in- 
troduced and  passed  for  the  degree  of  Fellow-craft  of  Masonry,  in 
antient  and  due  form. 

1828. 

February  16,  1828,  Brothers  T.  E.  Burfoot  and  William  W. 
Weisiger  were  introduced  and  raised  to  the  sublime  degree  of 
Master  Mason,  in  due  and  antient  form. 

March  1,  1828,  Daniel  Weisiger  was  elected  Senior  Warden  of 
the  Lodge  until  the  24th  of  June  next. 

June  24,  1S28.  the  following  resolution,  being  duly  offered  and 
seconded,  was  unanimously  adopted :  "Resolrcd.  That  the  Secretary 
be,  and  he  is  hereby,  instructed  to  express  to  our  late  brother  and 
Past-Master,  James  Henderson,  the  deep  regret  of  this  Lodge  at 
his  withdrawal  from  it,  and  to  offer  to  him  its  fraternal  sympathies 
in  the  protracted  disease  that  has  caused  this  deep  loss." 

At  a  call  meeting,  July,  1828,  "the  Worshipful  Master  informed 
the  Lodge  of  the  object  of  its  call,  which  was  to  attend  the  meet- 
ing of  the  Lodges  in  the  city  of  Richmond,  this  clay,  for  the  purpose 
of  co-operating  with  them  on  their  invitation  in  the  funeral  of 
Wor.  Brother  John  I.  Johnson,  formerly  Master  of  this  Lodge." 
The  Lodge  proceeded  to  the  Masons'  Hall  in  the  city  of  Richmond, 
where  a  procession  was  formed,  which  proceeded  to  the  place  of 
interment,  and  consigned  the  remains  of  Brother  Johnson  to  the 
grave,  with  all  due  solemnities.  Xo.  14  presided.  Having  returned 
to  the  Hall  in  Richmond,  the  brethren  were  called  from  labor  to 
refreshments,  and  returned  to  the  Hall  in  Manchester,  where  they 
were  again  called  to  labor,  and  there  being  no  further  business,  the 
Lodge  again  closed  in  due  form  and  solemnity." 

W.  A.  Patteson  was  Master,  and  Thomas  E.  Burfoot  was  Secre- 
tary on  this  occasion. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  59 

Funeral  of  Eichard  Henderson. 

October  26,  1828,  a  call  meeting  of  the  Lodge  was  held  "for  the 
purpose  of  paying  the  last  tribute  of  respect  to,  and  burying  with 
Masonic  solemnity,  Past-Master  Eichard  0.  Henderson,  late  of  No. 
14,  who  departed  this  life  on  the  day  before  }^esterday,  the  24th. 
The  procession  was  then  formed  and  proceeded,  in  Masonic  order, 
to  the  late  residence  of  the  deceased,  and  thence  to  the  family  bury- 
ing ground  of  Brother  James  Henderson,  bearing  with  it  the  mortal 
remains  of  Brother  Eichard  0.  Henderson,  which  were  consigned 
to  the  grave  with  due  form  and  ancient  solemnities.  The  pro- 
cession then  returned  to  the  Hall  and  the  Lodge  was  closed.  The 
officers  of  the  Lodge  on  this  occasion  were  as  follows:  W.  A. 
Patteson,  Master;  J.  H.  Patteson,  Senior  Warden;  William  Walker, 
Junior  Warden;  Asa  Driscoll,  Senior  Deacon,  pro  tern.;  E.  E. 
Miller,  Junior  Deacon,  pro  tern.;  Peter  F.  Smith,  Secretary,  pro 
tern.;  A.  C.  Brander,  Treasurer,  and  William  Marsh,  Steward  and 
Tiler.  Present :  William  Matthews,  James  Brander,  Christopher 
Branch.  Daniel  Weisiger,  and  the  following  visiting  brothers:  A. 
Carrington,  Master  No.  19:  P.  M.  Blair  Boiling,  B.  F.  Spald- 
ing and  George  Ives  (S.  D.  No.  19),  J.  W.  Smith,  No.  10;  Eoger 
Knott,  Treasurer  No.  54;  William  Rowley,  S.  D.  No.  54;  Joseph  A. 
Myers,  S.  D.  No.  19;  D.  D.  Eoss,  No.  10;  E.  E.  Walls,  No.  54; 
Peter  Cook,  No.  54;  Eobert  Bryson,  No.  19;  William  B.  Page, 
No.  54:  Archibald  Armstrong,  No.  54;  William  Been,  No.  10;  J. 
G.  Brooks,  No.  10 ;  William  B.  Preston,  No.  19 ;  Daniel  Burkley, 
Liberty  Lodge,  No.  95 ;  E.  E.  Brown,  late  of  No.  19 ;  T.  Williams, 
No.  10;  John  England,  No.  10;  William  Michaels,  late  of  No. 
10;  N.  C.  Bagan,  Eockingham  Union  Lodge,  No.  29;  Ed.  E.  Noel, 
late  of  No.  5;  David  Morrison,  of  No.  19  (Scotland);  Anderson 
Fore,  late  of  No.  14;  John  A.  Smith,  late  of  No.  19;  O.  D.  Baker, 
late  of  No.  14:  A.  L.  Addison,  late  of  No.  14. 

1829. 

February  14,  1829,  at  a  call  meeting  the  Worshipful  Master  in- 
formed the  brethren  that  they  were  convocated  for  the  purpose  of 
paying  the  last  fraternal  respect  to  the  remains  of  our  beloved 
brother,  James  Brander.     A  communication  was  received  from  the 


60  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

Worshipful  Master  of  Lodge  No.  10,  Bichmond,  and  read  as  fol- 
lows :  "Worshipful  Sir  and  Brother :  Your  note  of  this  morning, 
directed  to  Worshipful  Brother  Williams,  is  just  received.  The 
lateness  of  the  receipt  and  the  early  hour  you  named  for  the  meet- 
ing will  make  it  impossible  for  us  to  attend,  as  a  Lodge,  the  funeral 
of  Brother  Brander.  Previous  to  receiving  your  note,  understand- 
ing an  invitation  had  been,  or  would  be  sent  to  us,  I  directed  our 
Tiler  to  inform  the  brethren  and  request  their  attendance.  Very 
respectfully,  your  friend  and  brother.  William  Mitchell,  Jr.,  Mas- 
ter Lodge  No.  10." 

The  Lodge  then  proceeded  to  the  house  of  Brother  Brander,  and 
attended  his  remains  to  the  place  of  interment  and  deposited  them 
in  the  ground  in  ancient  and  Masonic  order,  and  then  returned  to 
the  Hall.  On  motion  made,  "Resolved,  unanimously,  as  an  ex- 
pression of  respect  and  regard  to  the  memory  of  our  late  Brother 
Brander,  the  members  of  this  Lodge  do  wear  crepe  on  their  left 
arm  for  thirty  days,  and  then  the  Lodge  was  closed." 

Wor.  Master  William  A.  Patteson  was,  on  motion,  allowed  the 
amount  of  $5,  which  sum  he  had  bestowed  as  a  donation  from  this 
Lodge  to  two  Spaniards,  who  had  been  driven  from  their  country 
by  persecution  against  the  fraternity. 

"A  call  meeting  was  held,  August  14,  1829,  to  pay  the  last  Ma- 
sonic honors  to  the  memory  of  Brother  Nathanial  C.  Pearce,  who  de- 
parted this  life  this  morning.  The  Lodge  then  proceeded  to  the 
place  of  interment,  and  having  consigned  to  the  dust,  with  due 
and  ancient  solemnities  of  Masonic  burial,  the  body  of  our  deceas- 
ed brother,  returned  to  the  Hall."  (The  record  shows  that  he  died 
and  was  buried  on  the  same  day.) 

The  minute  books  from  1829  to  1844  seem  to  have  disappeared. 
The  membership  was  small,  and  during  this  period  the  "Three 
Billy's  (Win.  A.  Patteson,  Wm.  W.  WTeisiger  and  William  Walker) 
undoubtedly  kept  the  fires  of  Masonry  burning. 

Old  Bills  and  What  They  Show. 

The  Lodge  has  in  its  possession  a  number  of  old  bills,  some  of 
them  dating  as  far  back  as  1786,  when  the  Lodge  was  chartered. 
These  bills  tell  exactly  what  the  brethren  purchased  in  the  long 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  61 

ago,  and  give  the  purchase  price  of  the  various  articles.  The 
largest  purchases  were  made  in  the  months  of  June  and  December, 
when  the  festivals  of  the  Saints  John  were  celebrated.  The  Lodge 
room  was  regularly  scoured  in  June  and  December,  and  the  Lodge 
paraphernalia  especially  looked  after  when  these  two  months  roll- 
ed around.  One  of  these  bills  furnish  conclusive  evidence  as  to  the 
date  of  the  first  meeting  of  the  Lodge.  The  Dispensation,  authoriz- 
ing the  formation  of  the  Lodge,  was  dated  February  28th,  1786, 
and  the  charter  dated  November  20th,  1786.  This  bill  was  pre- 
sented by  Moses  Tredway,  who  kept  a  tavern,  or  house  of  enter- 
tainment, in  Manchester,  at  that  period.  The  bill  was  rendered 
upon  a  piece  of  paper  about  the  size  of  a  dollar  note,  and  was  for 
two  suppers  furnished  the  Lodge — one  on  March  6th,  and  the  other 
March  7th,  1786.  It  appears  that  as  soon  as  the  Dispensation  was 
received  a  meeting  of  the  Lodge  was  called  for  March  6th,  1786,  for 
organization.  This  bill  is  also  important  because  it  shows  how 
many  brethren  were  present  at  this  first  meeting  of  Old  Fourteen.- 
On  the  6th  of  March,  1786,  Moses  Tredway  furnished  sixteen  sup- 
pers, and  on  the  next  night  seventeen.  Having  two  meetings  on  two 
consecutive  days  would  indicate  that  the  Lodge  had  more  work 
for  the  first  meeting  than  it  could  get  through  with.  Just  what 
Moses  Tredway  furnished  the  brethren  on  the  occasion  of  the 
first  two  lodge  suppers  does  not  fully  appear  in  the  bill.  A  lump 
charge  was  made  for  the  suppers,  which  cost  about  fifty  cents  a 
plate.  Caterer  Tredway  did,  however,  itemize  other  purchases.  On 
the  first  night  he  furnished  (or  at  least  the  bill  says  so,  and  there 
is  no  record  that  the  bill  was  ever  disputed)  five  bowls  of  toddy, 
and  four  bowls  of  punch.  On  the  second  night,  the  brethren  per- 
haps being  more  fatigued  on  account  of  the  ardous  labors  of  the 
preceding  night,  increased  the  number  of  bowls  of  punch  to  ten, 
and  the  number  of  bowls  of  toddy  to  eight.  The  two  suppers,  in- 
cluding everything,  cost  ten  pounds  and  fourteen  shillings,  in  Eng- 
lish currency. 

On  April  oth,  1786,  Moses  Tredway  furnished  the  Lodge  with 
eight  bowls  of  toddy,  three  bottles  of  porter,  and  three  tumblers 
of  grog.  The  Junior  Warden  at  that  time  was  Alexander  Banks, 
and  it  is  presumed  that  he  saw  that  "no  brother  convert  the  means 
thereof  to  intemperance  or  excess." 


62  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

Musician  to  the  Lodge. 

The  man  who  furnished  the  music  for  the  Lodge  at  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  festival  of  St.  John  The  Evangelist,  on  the  27th  of 
December,  1793,  was  unable  to  write  his  name,  and  had  to  "make 
his  mark,"  in  receipting  for  the  $3,  which  the  Lodge  paid  him. 
This  musician's  name  was  Simon  Gilliat,  and  the  instrument  used 
was  a  fiddle.  Simon  played  on  more  than  one  occasion,  for  the 
brethren  and  the  Lodge  was  evidently  satisfied  with  his  music,  as 
he  was  promptly  paid. 

Old  Furniture  of  the  Lodge. 

The  Lodge  has  now  some  of  the  same  furniture  used  as  far  back 
as  1797.  The  old  benches,  now  in  the  dining  room,  were  purchased 
by  a  committee  composed  of  Brothers  William  Smith,  Abraham 
Cardozo  and  James  A.  Patteson.  The  following  brethren  bound 
themselves  under  a  written  agreement,  now  in  possession  of  the 
Lodge,  to  pay  each  a  proportion  of  the  ♦cost  of  the  furniture: 
James  Strange,  Abraham  Cardozo,  Joseph  C.  Brown,  Daniel  Price. 
Lewis  Buckner,  Abraham  Banks,  Kichard  B.  Goode,  James  A. 
Patteson,  Henry  L.  Biscoe,  Jesse  Hix,  George  Mayo,  William 
Smith,  David  Rattray,  Eobert  Craig,  William  Ball,  Miles  Botts, 
Archibald  Campbell,  J.  Murchie,  Thomas  Banks,  James  Brander, 
Cornelius  Buck,  Theodorick  Goode,  John  Heveningham,  Oba. 
Smith,  James  Lyle  and  William  Branch. 

The  wooden  chest  used  in  the  room  at  the  "West  gate,"  was  pur- 
chased by  the  Lodge  in  1797,  as  shown  by  a  receipted  bill  still  in 
possession  of  the  Lodge.  The  old  blue  benches,  still  used  in  the 
dining  room,  were  bought  for  the  Lodge  in  1797,  and  the  three 
candle  sticks  around  the  altar,  according  the  the  best  information 
obtainable,  were  purchased  in  1786,  and  exactly  one  hundred  years 
afterwards  were  nickel  plated — a  thing  which  should  not  hav< 
been  done. 

The  Bible  Used  on  the  Altar. 

The  Bible  now  in  possession  of  the  Lodge,  and  now  used  on  the 
altar,  was  bought  by  Brother  Gardiner  Fleming,  in  1786,  from  a 


ILstoky  of  Manchester  Lodge.  63 

Mr.  Blyth,  of  Bichmond,  at  a  reduced  price,  four  shillings  and  six 
pence,  which  was  less  than  a  dollar.  Subsequently  the  Lodge  had 
a  clasp  put  on  this  Bible  by  Mr.  Jacob  Ege,  who  kept  a  jewelry 
store  in  Richmond  at  that  period,  and  himself  a  member  of  Lodge 
No.  19.  A  son  of  this  Jacob  Ege  was  connected  with  the  jewelry 
firm  of  Mitchell  &  Tyler,  well  known  in  Richmond  thirty-five  years 
ago.  Jacob  Ege  was  paid  about  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents  for 
putting  the  clasp  to  the  Bible,  his  account  being  rendered  in  Eng- 
lish currency.  Sometime  early  in  the  fifties  (probably  1853)  the 
Bible  was  rebound  at  the  instance  of  Brother  William  R.  Weisiger. 
In  1866  the  binding  again  got  in  bad  shape  and  the  venerable  book 
was  rebound  that  year  by  Brother  Oscar  Bridgewater.  He  was  a 
bookbinder  by  occupation,  and  excelled  himself  in  this  particular 
job,  as  the  sacred  book  is  at  present  in  fine  condition,  although 
having  ever  since  been  in  constant  use.  There  are  few  Bibles  now 
in  use  as  old  as  this  one.  It  was  printed  in  Edinburgh,  Scotland. 
in  1778,  b}^  William  Kineaid,  Printer  to  His  Majesty,  George  III. 
It  contains  the  Apocrapha,  now  rarely  seen  in  a  Bible. 

Colonel   William   Tatham. 

In  a  report  not  dated,  but  signed  by  "Martin  Gordon  and  John 
Johnson,  committee  for  the  Lodge,"  the  name  of  William  Tatham 
appears,  with  others,  indebted  to  the  Lodge.  There  was  a  charge 
against  him  in  this  report  of  8  pounds  and  5  shillings,  and  im- 
mediately after  his  name  appears  the  following  words :  "jSTo 
nothing  about  him."  This  report  was  made  after  the  death  of  Ja- 
cob Rubsamen.  referred  to  elsewhere  in  this  historical  sketch,  there 
being  an  entry  against  "Jacob  Rubsamen,  deceased."  It  was  cus- 
tomary then  to  charge  the  unpaid  dues  of  a  brother  against  his 
estate,  if  he  left  any. 

There  is  also  in  the  archives  of  the  Lodge  an  unreceipted  bill 
against  "Mr.  William  Tatham,"  dated  September,  1792.  There  is 
a  charge  September  20th  against  him  for  quarterly  fee — six  shill- 
ings— a  similar  charge  December  20th,  and  December  27th  there 
is  a  charge  of  3  shillings  for  "tiler's  fee  St.  John."  March  19th, 
1793,  there  is  another  charge  against  him  of  6  shillings  for  "quart- 
erly fee." 


64  Histoky  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

This  Brother  Tatham  was  evidently  a  man  of  culture  and  learn- 
ing, and  the  Lodge  has  in  its  possession  an  appeal  made  by  him 
to  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Virginia.  He  is  referred  to  in  Rady's 
History  of  Richmond  Lodge,  No.  19.  Brother  Tatham  applied  for 
membership  in  that  Lodge  and  was  rejected,  the  Lodge  passing 
upon  his  petition  while  being  opened  on  the  first  degree.  He  claim- 
ed that  a  Royal  Arch  Mason  could  not  be  rejected  by  an  Entered 
Apprentice  Lodge,  and  his  printed  appeal  {now  in  possession  of 
No.  14,  and  perhaps  the  only  one  in  existence)  is  a  most  unique 
document.  Doubtless  he  was  the  same  Col.  Tatham  referred  to  in 
"The  Two  Parsons,"  written  by  that  distinguished  Virginian, 
George  Wythe  Munford. 

This  Col.  Tatham,  according  to  "The  Two  Parsons,"  was  a 
gentleman  at  one  time  of  good  intellect  and  high  standing;  but 
he  possessed  a  monomania  on  a  subject  which  led  him  into  the 
wildest  vagaries,  while  on  all  other  topics  he  was  perfectly  sane. 
On  ordinary  occasions,  he  would  not  only  converse  intelligibly,  but 
could  make  himself  exceedingly  agreeable.  In  the  main,  he  was 
harmless  and  inoffensive;  but  as  his  disease  increased  in  intensity, 
he  became  hopelessly  insane.  He  was  fully  pursuaded  that  he  was 
entitled  to  three  peerages  in  England.  He  would  descant  for  hours 
upon  his  high  honors  and  immense  wealth.  Then  again  he  cherish- 
ed the  belief  that  he  had  a  right  to  a  benefice,  and  was  the  patron 
to  whom  an  advowson  of  the  Church  belonged,  possessing  this 
privilege  under  a  grant  from  King  George  III.  Accordingly  with 
a  view  to  select  some  parson  to  be  his  rector  or  perpetual  curate, 
as  he  might  determine,  he  went  to  hear  Parson  Buchanan  preach, 
and  this  he  followed  up  for  two  or  three  Sundays,  paying  particular 
attention  to  his  doctrine,  his  mode  of  inculcating  it,  and  his  argu- 
ments as  drawn  from  the  Bible. 

The  narrative  then  tells  of  a  visit  Col.  Tatham  made  to  Parson 
Buchanan,  and  with  decided  interest  leads  up  to  the  denouement, 
when  Parson  Buchanan  unequivocably  told  the  importunate  Colonel 
that  he  would  not  accept  the  proffered  gift  "with  a  thousand  fold 
added." 

This  so  enraged  the  Colonel  that  he  sent  a  challenge  to  Parson 
Buchanan.  The  message  was  conveyed  by  Sir  Grenville  Orville, 
who  was  an  officer  of  the  English  Army,  and  had  no  knowledge  of 


V 


Worshipful    .John    R.    Robertson. 
Master    of    No.    14     when   this   history   was   read. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  G5 

the  actual  monomania  of  his  friend,  Colonel  Tatham.  The  transac- 
tions between  Colonel  Orville  and  Parson  Buchanan  on  this  ac- 
count were  ludricrous  and  amusing,  but  Colonel  Orville  made  the 
proper  amend,  however,  as  soon  as  he  became  aware  of  Colonel  Tat- 
ham's  hallucinations. 

The  death  of  Colonel  Tatham,  or  rather  Brother  Tatham,  was 
very  tragie.  On  the  22nd  of  February,  a  few  years  after  the  death 
of  Washington,  a  military  company  was  firing  a  salute  in  the 
Capitol  Square,  in  Eichmond.  Colonel  Tatham  was  seen  to  ap- 
proach the  musicians  (Gardner  and  Blind  Edward,  who  are  re- 
membered by  persons  yet  living  in  Eichmond,  particularly  by  our 
venerable  brother,  George  Canning  Wilde,  of  No.  — ),  and  to  one 
of  them  said:  "I  am  going,  Gardner,  directly  into  eternity,  and 
have  but  one  request  to  make  of  you  :  Play  the  long  roll,  crescendo, 
and  then  diminuendo,  until  it  dies  away  as  if  in  the  far  distance. 
Edwards,  throw  your  soul  into  that  fife.  I  have  heard  you  do  it 
until  the  big  tears  started  in  my  eye.    Let  it  be  sweet,  old  fellow." 

To  the  author  of  The  Two  Parsons,  he  asked:  "Will  you  not 
go  with  me  to  my  long  home?"  Presently  Lieutenant  Brown,  of 
the  company,  gave  the  command,  "Eight  half  battery,  ready." 
In  the  next  half  minute,  before  the  smoke  had  cleared  away,  we 
heard  the  order,  "Left  half  battery,  ready."  The  orderly,  "Left 
Gun!"  At  this  moment  Colonel  Tatham,  withdrawing  his  arm 
from  ours,  sprang  directly  before  the  muzzle  of  the  gun,  and  rais- 
ing his  arms  to  their  height,  cried  at  the  same  moment  with  the 
officer,  "Fire !" 

The  firing  immediately  ceased,  and  when  the  smoke  was  lifted, 
nothing  remained  but  the  lifeless  body  of  Colonel  Tatham.  The 
mortal  was  there:  the  immortal  spirit  had  gone  to  the  presence 
of  its  Maker. 

Before  the  company  was  dismissed,  by  permission  of  the  lieu- 
tenant commanding,  Edwards  and  Gardner  stood  over  the  remains 
of  the  unfortunate  gentleman  and  complied  with  his  request.  Very 
few  of  those  who  surrounded  the  body  went  away  without  shedding 
a  tear.  All  were  moved  by  the  mournful  pathos  of  that  solemn 
dirge. 

Parson  Buchanan  read  the  service  over  his  grave,  and  shed  a  tear 
of  pity  for  his  melancholy  end. 


66  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

A  Silver  Seal. 

In  1792,  the  Lodge  used  a  seal  made  of  silver.  It  was  purchased 
from  Elijah  Evans,  a  local  silver-smith.  The  bill  was  dated  Oc- 
tober 1,  1792,  and  the  amount  charged  was  three  pounds — a  little 
less  than  $15.  The  committee  appointed  to  procure  the  seal  was 
composed  of  W.  Cameron  and  James  Brander.  The  last  named 
lived  near  the  old  Masonic  Hall,  and  some  of  his  descendants  are 
now  living  in  Richmond.  No  trace  of  this  seal  has  been  discovered 
within  recent  years,  nor  is  there  in  possession  of  the  Lodge  any 
document  bearing  an  impression  of  this  seal. 

A  Sparkling  Scintillation   From  "The  Two  Parsons." 

The  fact  that  John  Marshall,  the  Great  Chief  Justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  participated  in  the  laying  of 
the  corner  stone  of  the  Old  Masonic  Hall,  on  Fifth  Street,  which 
for  nearly  a  century  was  the  meeting  place  of  Old  Fourteen,  and 
Parson  John  Buchanan  was  such  a  frequent  visitor  to  our  Lodge 
in  the  days  of  Auld  Lang  Syne,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  reproduce 
here  the  following  from  "The  Two  Parsons :" 

"The  views  of  both  of  our  pastors  on  these  subjects  were  so 
different  from  those  entertained  and  acted  upon  by  some  other 
divines  of  the  days  of  which  we  are  writing,  that  they  are  worthy 
of  notice.  They  thought  it  their  duty  to  preach  politics,  in  and  out 
of  the  pulpit,  and  denounce  the  administration  and  their  opponents 
of  the  Republican,  then  the  Democratic  party,  in  the  most  virulent 
manner.  A  great  many  sermons  were  preached  against  Mr.  Jef- 
ferson, and  disseminated  broadcast  over  the  land.  Our  good  par- 
sons, on  the  contrary,  thought  that  if  any  embargo  should  be  im- 
posed, it  ought  to  be  on  the  pens  of  those  who  persecuted  the  best 
men  with  slanders.  Notwithstanding  these  opinions,  the  excite- 
ment was  so  great  at  the  time  it  was  almost  impossible  to  avoid 
being  drawn  into  the  whirlpool.  A  most  animated  contest  took 
place  between  the  two  parties  at  the  election  of  a  member  of  Con- 
gress from  the  Richmond  district.  The  candidates  were  John  Mar- 
shall, who  had  been  minister  to  France,  and  secretary  of  state 
under  Mr.  Adams,  and  John  Clopton,  an  eminent  member  of  the 
bar,  each  the  exponent  of  the  principles  of  his  party.    Their  sue- 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  67 

-. 

cess  or  defeat  involved  what  each  party  believed  the  well  being  and 
future  prosperity  of  the  country.  It  was  believed  the  contest 
would  be  very  close.  The  parties  were  drilled  to  move  together  in 
a  body;  the  leaders  and  their  business  committees  were  never  sur- 
passed in  activity  and  systematic  arrangement  for  bringing  out 
every  voter.  Sick  men  were  taken  in  their  beds  to  the  polls;  the 
halt,  the  lame  and  the  blind,  were  hunted  up.  and  every  mode  of 
conveyance  was  mustered  into  service. 

"The  election  had  progressed  until  a  short  time  after  dinner, 
when  the  vote  exhibited  a  tie.  The  committees  were  continually 
bringing  in  their  men,  and  as  one  man  would  vote  for  Marshall, 
another  on  the  opposite  side  would  immediately  give  a  plumper 
for  Clopton.  Liquor  in  abundance  was  on  the  court  green  for  the 
friends  of  either  party.  A  barrel  of  whiskey  for  all,  with  the  head 
knocked  in,  and  the  majority  took  it  straight.  Independent  of  the 
political  excitement,  the  liquor  added  fuel  to  the  flame.  Fights 
became  common,  and  every  now  and  then  there  would  be  a  knock- 
down and  drag-out  affray  to  quell,  which  required  all  the  power 
of  the  county  justices. 

"In  those  days  there  was  no  precinct  elections.  AH  the  voters  of 
a  county  assembled  at  the  Court  House,  and  the  crowd  was  fre- 
quently excessive.  On  this  occasion  it  was  almost  impossible  to 
obtain  ingress  or  egress  to  and  from  the  polls.  In  truth,  none  could 
enter  but  a  voter,  and  he  only  with  the  greatest  difficulty.  The 
candidates,  as  was  then  the  custom,  were  seated  on  the  justice's 
bench,  and  it  was  usual,  when  a  vote,  was  cast,  for  the  candidate  in 
question  to  return  thanks.  Sometimes,  "I  thank  you,  sir."  Some- 
times, '"May  you  live  a  thousand  years,"  etc.  There  were  several 
noisy,  impudent  fellows,  who  made  comments  on  the  voters  as  they 
came  up ;  sometimes  amusing,  sometimes  insulting ;  and  then  the 
partisans  of  each  would  make  the  welkin  ring  with  their  exhilarat- 
ing huzzas,  and  animated  retorts.  As  the  scene  waxed  hot  and 
furious,  the  committees  examined  their  list  to  ascertain  who  had 
not  voted.  It  was  soon  found  that  Parsons  Blair  and  Buchanan 
were  among  the  delinquents.  Some  of  the  most  influential  and 
leading  men  immediately  took  carriages  and  hurried  to  bring  them 
to  the  polls.  It  so  happened  they  were  together  at  Parson  Blair's. 
Several  gentlemen — their  intimate  and  personal  friends — had  call- 


68  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

ed  at  different  times  during  the  day,  requesting  them  to  vote,  but 
ineffectually,  each  insisting  that  it  was  better  for  ministers  of  the 
gospel  not  to  interfere  in  such  matters.  But  at  last,  when  the  lead- 
ing men  of  the  Federal  committee  came  and  urged  them  as  a  duty 
which  they  owed  their  country  to  vote ;  that  the  salvation  of  the 
party  depended  upon  it,  and  the  great  interests  of  the  country  de- 
manded it;  after,  first,  a  peremptory  refusal  on  the  part  of  Parson 
Buchanan,  and  then,  upon  continued  pressure  by  the  committee, 
a  partial  yielding  on  the  part  of  Parson  Blair,  upon  condition  that 
Parson  Buchanan  would  go,  both  assented,  and  were  escorted  to 
the  carriages,  and  finally  managed  to  be  elbowed  and  squeezed  up 
to  the  polls.  Mr.  Marshall  had  a  few  minutes  before  been  two 
votes  ahead;  then  amid  the  fiercest  excitement,  Clopton  had  made 
up  the  gap,  and  was  one  ahead  of  him.  There  were  shoutings 
and  hurrahs  perfectly  deafening.  Men  were  shaking  fists  at  each 
other,  rolling  up  their  sleeves,  cursing  and  swearing,  with  angry 
and  furious  denunciations.  Some  became  wild  with  agitation. 
Then  came  Mr.  Thomas  Rutherford  and  voted  for  Marshall,  and 
there  was  again  a  tie.  One  fellow  growled  out  an  imprecation,  and 
another  replied,  "You,  sir,  ought  to  have  your  mouth  smashed  for 
your  impudence."  The  crowd  rolled  to  and  fro  like  a  surging  wave. 
Parson  Blair  came  forward.  A  swaggering  fellow  just  above  him 
said,  "Here  comes  two  preachers,  dead  shot  for  Marshall."  Both 
candidates  knew  them  intimately,  and  rose  from  their  seats,  and  the 
shout  was  terrific. 

"Mr.  Blair,"  said  the  sheriff,  "who  do  you  vote  for?"  "John 
Marshall,"  said  he.  Mr.  Marshall  replied,  "your  vote  is  appreci- 
ated, Mr.  Blair."  Another  fellow  cried  out,  "bring  out  the  Darby 
town  boys.  The  Darbys  have  another  shot  in  the  locker.  I  see 
you,  old  Thorn,  you  are  the  devil  to  plump  the  Parson."  And  old 
Thom  came  pushing  and  elbowing  with  a  howl,  but  Parson 
Buchanan  was  at  the  sheriff's  elbow.  The  whole  Federal  party, 
and  the  Democrats,  too,  thought  this  vote  was  certain,  beyond  the 
possibility  of  a  doubt,  for  Marshall.  "Who  do  you  vote  for,  Mr. 
Buchanan?"  "For  John  Clopton,"  said  the  good  man.  Mr. 
Clopton  said,  "Mr.  Buchanan,  I  shall  treasure  that  vote  in  my  mem- 
ory. It  will  be  regarded  as  a  feather  in  my  cap  for  ever."  The 
shouts   were   astounding.      "Hurrah    for   Marshall !      Hurrah   for 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  69 

Clopton!"  The  astonishment  expressed  in  Mr.  Marshall's  face, 
in  Parson  Blair's  countenance,  by  the  friends  of  Mr.  Buchanan 
generally,  can  only  be  imagined. 

"Then  old  Thorn  Enroughty  (the  whole  family  of  Enroughtys 
were  universally  called  Darbys)  shouted  out,  "I'll  go  with  that 
Parson,  Clopton !  I  was  going  to  swear,  but  I  won't,  because  I 
respect  that  old  chap.  Thank  you,  old  fellow.  Hurrah  for  Clop- 
ton !"  Another  voter  cried  out,  "One  a  my  new."  And  the  vote 
recorded.  "Well  done,  Darby,"  said  Clopton.  "Any  more  of  the 
Darby  boys  ?  Go  it,  boys  !"  said  Darby.  There  was  a  pressure  from 
both  sides.  When  our  friends  entered  the  carriage  on  their  return 
home.  Parson  Buchanan  said,  "Brother  Blair,  we  might  as  well 
have  staid  at  home.  When  I  was  forced  against  my  will  to  go,  I  sim- 
ply determined  to  balance  your  vote,  and  now  we  shall  hear  no  com- 
plaints of  the  clergy  interfering  in  elections." 

When  the  returns  came  in  from  the  district  it  was  found  that 
Clopton  was  elected. 

This  John  Clopton  was  the  grandfather  of  Eight  Wor.  William 
I.  Clopton.  He  was  one  of  the  most  distinguished  Virginians  of 
his  day,  and  in  that  generation  Virginia  had  many  illustrious  sons. 

"Old  Kasm." 

The  Lodge  had  in  its  membership,  as  far  back  as  1818,  a  brother 
who  was  given  much  notoriety  by  being  made  a  character  in  a  very 
interesting  book,  called  "Flush  Times  in  Alabama,"  written  by  a 
Virginian,  who  left  his  native  state  to  try  his  fortune  in  Alabama. 
The  brother  referred  to  was  George  F.  Salle,  of  Chesterfield.  Be- 
sides figuring  as  a  character  in  a  book,  he  figured  as  a  witness  in 
a  noted  Masonic  trial  [Vespasian  Ellis],  the  records  of  which  are 
still  preserved  in  the  archives  of  this  Lodge.  Brother  Salle  was  of 
Huguenot  extraction,  his  ancestors  having  fled  from  France,  after 
the  revocation  of  the  edict  of  Nantes,  and  settled  in  Chesterfield. 
This  is  Baldwin's  sketch  of  him  in  "The  Flush  Times  of  Alabama :" 

He  was  an  old  time  lawyer,  the  race  of  which  is  now  fortunately 
extinct,  or  else  his  survivors  "lag  superfluous  on  the  stage."  He 
was  of  stout  build,  and  somewhat  less  than  six  feet  in  height.  He 
dressed  in  the  old  fashioned  fur-top  boots  and  shorts ;  ruffled  shirt, 


70  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

buff  vest,  and  hair  a  grizzly  gray,  roached  up  flat  and  stiff  in  front, 
and  hanging  down  in  a  queue  behind,  tied  with  an  eel  skin  and 
pomatumed.  He  was  close  shaven  and  powdered  every  morning, 
and,  except  a  few  scattered  grains  of  snuff  which  fell  occasionally 
between  his  nose,  and  an  old-fashioned  gold  snuff-box,  a  speck  of 
dirt  was  never  seen  on  or  about  his  carefully  preserved  person.  The 
taking  out  of  his  deliciously  perfumed  handkerchief,  scattered 
incense  around  like  the  shaking  of  a  lilac  bush  in  full  flower.  If  is 
face  was  round  and  a  sickly  florid,  interspersed  with  purple  spots, 
overspread  it,  as  if  the  natural  dye  of  the  old  cognac  were  main- 
taining an  unequal  contest  with  the  decay  of  the  vital  energies. 
TTis  bearing  was  decidedly  soldierly,  as  it  had  a  right  to  he,  he 
having  served  as  a  captain  some  eight  years  before  he  took  to  the 
law,  as  being  the  most  pugnacious  profession.  His  features,  especi- 
ally the  mouth,  turned  down  at  the  corners  like  a  bulldog's  or  a 
crescent,  and  a  nose  perked  up  with  unutterable  scorn  and  self- 
conceit,  and  eyes  of  a  sensual,  bluish  gray,  that  seemed  to  be  all 
light  and  no  heat,  were  never  pleasing  to  the  opposing  side.  In 
his  way,  Old  Kasni  was  a  very  polite  man.  Whenever  he  chose, 
which  was  when  it  was  to  his  interest  to  be  polite,  and  when  his 
blood  was  cool  and  he  was  not  trying  a  law  case,  he  would  have 
made  Chesterfield  and  Beau  Brummel  ashamed  of  themselves.  He 
knew  all  the  gymnastics  of  manners,  and  all  forms  and  ceremonies 
of  deportment ;  but  there  was  no  more  soul  of  kindness  in  the 
manual  he  went  through  than  in  an  iceberg.  His  politeness,  how- 
ever, seemingly  defferential,  had  a  frost-bitten  air,  as  if  it  had  lain 
out  over  night  and  got  the  rheumatics  before  it  came  in;  and  really, 
one  felt  less  at  ease  under  his  frozen  smiles,  than  under  anybody 
else's  frowns. 

He  was  the  proudest  man  I  ever  saw;  he  would  have  made  the 
Warwicks  and  the  Nevilles,  not  to  say  the  Plantagenets  or  Mr. 
Dombey.  feel  very  limb  and  meek  if  introduced  into  their  company ; 
and  selfish  to  that  extent  that  if  by  giving  up  the  nutmeg  on  his 
noon  glass  of  toddy,  he  could  have  Christianized  the  Burmese  Em- 
pire, millenium  never  would  have  come  for  him. 

When  he  argued  a  case  you  would  suppose  that  he  had  bursted 
his  gall-bag — such,  not  vials,  but  demijohns,  of  vituperation,  as 
he  poured  out  with  a  fluency  only  interrupted  by  a  pause  to  gather. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  71 

like  a  tree-frog,  the  venom  sweltering  under  his  tongue  into  a  con- 
centrated essence.  He  could  look  more  sarcasm  than  anybody 
else  could  speak ;  and  his  scornful  gaze,  virtue  herself  looked  like 
something  sneaking  and  contemptible,  he  could  not  arouse  the 
nobler  passion  or  emotions,  but  he  could  throw  a  wet  blanket  over 
them. 

He  died  in  an  apoplectic  fit  in  the  courthouse,  while  abusing  an 
old  preacher,  who  bad  testified  against  him  in  a  crim.  con.  case. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  bar,  held  in  respect  to  his  memory,  it  was 
announced  that  "the  melancholy  dispensation  which  called  our 
beloved  brother  hence,  while  in  the  active  discharge  of  his  duty, 
was  much  deplored."  His  partisan  biographer,  continuing,  said, 
"but  with  a  pious  resignation,  which  was  greatly  to  be  admired, 
they  submitted  to  the  will,  etc.,  and  with  a  confidence  Old  Kasm 
himself,  if  alive,  might  have  envied,  trusted  he  had  gone  to  a  better 
and  brighter  world,  etc.,  etc.,  which  carried  the  doctrine  of  Univer- 
salism  about  as  far  as  it  could  well  go." 

This  biographer,  a  young  lawyer  from  the  Valley  of  Virginia, 
who  sought  fame  and  fortune  in  Alabama,  and  who  confessed  that 
Old  Kasm  not  only  "skinned  him,  but  had  showered  down  acqua- 
fortis  on  the  raw,"  was  too  partisan  to  be  correct — too  imaginativo 
•to  be  true,  and  carried  the  spirit  of  irony  exceedingly  far  when  he 
said,  "Bright  be  the  bloom,  and  sweet  the  fragrance  of  the  thistles 
on  his  grave." 

Brother  George  Salle's  sister,  in  fact  two  of  his  sisters,  married 
Thomas  Vaden,  Sr.,  a  prominent  tobacconist  in  Manchester,  who 
lived  for  years  in  the  large  brick  house  known  as  the  McEae  house, 
on  Porter,  between  Sixth  and  Seventh  Streets.  The  widow  of 
Thomas  Vaden,  Sr.,  died  in  this  home  in  1894,  aged  9-4  years.  She 
retained  her  faculties  to  the  last,  and  the  description  of  "Old  Kasm" 
afforded  her  much  amusement,  on  account  of  its  incomparable 
extravagance  and  rich  humor,  as  this  writer,  whose  wife  is  her 
granddaughter,  can  personally  testify. 

Lost  Jewels. 

At  a  meeting  held  September  3rd,  1881,  "the  Master  was  re- 
quested to  purchase  a  square  and  compass,  and  to  report  to  the 
Lodge,"     This  had  reference  to  the  square  and  compass  used  on 


72 


History  op  Manchester  Lodge. 


the  Bible  at  the  altar.  The  original  ones  were  purchased  in  1786, 
and  were  lost  in  1881,  on  the  occasion  of  a  Masonic  funeral  at 
Maury  Cemetery.  They  fell  from  the  Holy  Writings,  and  were  not 
missed  until  the  Craft  had  returned  to  the  Lodge  room.  Diligent 
efforts  were  made  to  find  them,  but  without  success. 

Masonic  Balls  in  the  Olden  Times. 

Masonic  balls  were  quite  frequent  in  the  early  part  of  the  Nine- 
teenth Century,  especially  was  this  the  case  in  Eichmond  and 
Manchester.  The  favorite  place  in  Manchester  for  such  entertain- 
ments was  at  the  Old  Tavern,  now  standing  on  Hull  Street,  between 
Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Streets.  About  thirty  years  ago  this  struct- 
ure was  considerably  altered  to  meet  more  modern  requirements. 
It  was  the  custom,  occasionally,  in  those  days  to  extend  invitations 
to  gentlemen  not  members  of  the  Craft,  to  participate  in  the  gay 
festivities,  and  frequently  more  than  one  hundred  persons  attended 
Masonic  balls  in  the  Old  Tavern. 

There  appeared  in  a  newspaper,  published  in  Richmond,  in  1810, 
the  following  advertisement  of  a  public  ball  given  in  the  old  Ma- 
sonic Hall  on  Franklin  Street,  between  Eighteenth  and  Nineteenth 
Streets : 

"J.  Darrick's  Ball  at  Free  Mason's  Hall,  November  29,  1810. 
Regulations — No  gentleman  will  be  admitted  except  upon  pre- 
sentation of  ticket.  No  person  will  be  permitted  to  smoke  in  the 
room.  Gentlemen  not  allowed  to  dance  with  boots  on.  Each  dance 
to  be  played  shall  be  called  by  the  manager.  Supper  shall  be  served 
at  10  o'clock;  after  supper  dancing  shall  begin  as  before.  A  bar 
shall  be  kept,  with  proper  refreshments  for  ladies  and  gentlemen." 

Diligent  search  does  not  disclose  that  there  were  printed  rates 
for  the  Masonic  balls  given  during  this  period,  either  in  Manchester 
or  Richmond,  and  it  cannot  be  positively  stated  that  the  rates  above 
quoted  were  applicable  to  the  old  time  Masonic  balls,  however, 
much  they  may  be  suggestive. 

Masonic  Grave  Yard. 

When  the  Lodge  decided  to  build  the  present  Masonic  Temple, 
and  mortgaged  the  property  on  Fifth  and  Porter  Streets,  it  adopted 
the  following,  on  June  4th,  1892 : 


Brother  E.   W.    Weisigper, 
Oldest    Mason    of   No.    14 — Our    Foot   Laureate    on    'Possum    Night. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  73 

"That  when  a  sale  of  the  present  hall  or  lot  shall  be  made,  a 
thorough  search  shall  be  made  for  the  graves  of  ancient  Masonic 
brethren,  whose  bodies  are  buried  in  the  rear  of  this  Lodge,  and 
the  right  shall  be  reserved  to  remove  their  remains  to  Maury  Ceme- 
tery for  burial  in  the  lot  owned  by  this  Lodge,  and  shall  also  re- 
serve the  corner  stone  and  plate,  which  shall  be  carefully  preserved." 

First  Deaf  and  Dumb  School  in  the  United  States. 

The  first  deaf  and  dumb  school  in  the  United  States,  for  the 
general  public,  was  started  in  the  Old  Masonic  Hall  on  Fifth  and 
Porter  Streets,  in  1818,  by  John  Braidwood  and  Eev.  Kirkpatrick. 
Braidwood,  previous  to  this  time,  had  taught  in  the  family  of 
Colonel  William  Boiling,  who  lived  in  Chesterfield  and  Goochland 
counties,  but  when  Braidwood  became  associated  with  Eev.  Kirk- 
patrick, they  were  ready  and  anxious  to  have  as  many  pupils  as 
they  could  get.  There  is  a  tradition  that  the  Lodge  contributed 
towards  paying  for  the  education  of  two  or  more  deaf  mutes,  then 
living  in  Manchester,  and  that  Kirkpatrick  and  Braidwood  had 
eight  scholars  when  they  taught  in  the  Masonic  Hall  in  Man- 
chester. 

Prof.  Guilford  D.  Euritt,  a  most  efficient  instructor  of  the 
Virginia  School  for  the  Deaf,  Dumb  and  Blind,  at  Staunton,  Vir- 
ginia, was  requested  to  furnish  what  information  he  could  about 
John  Braidwood.  and  in  response  thereto  sent  the  following : 

Staunton,  Va..  Oct.  24,  1906. 
Ben.  P.  Owen,  Jr.,  Esq.. 

Manchester.    Va. 
My  Dear  Sir  : 

Your  favor  of  the  23d  instant  just  received,  and  it  gives  me 
great  pleasure  to  comply  with  your  request  for  information  con- 
cerning John  Braidwood,  the  founder  of  the  first  school  for  the 
deaf  in  this  country.  The  most  authentic  historv  of  the  man  that 
I  can  find  is  embodied  in  a  letter  from  Col.  William  Boiling,  the 
patron  of  Braidwood,  dated  Dec.  10,  1841,  and  addressed  to  Eev. 
Joseph  D.  Tyler,  who  was  at  that  time  the  Principal  of  this  School. 
The  sketch  may  not  be  as  full  as  you  would  wish,  but  you  may 
rest  assured  that  the  facts  given  in  Col.  Boiling's  letter  are  abso- 
lutely reliable. 


IV 


74  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

I  send  you  herewith  a  copy  of  the  letter  referred  to,  and  if  I 
can  be  of  any  further  service,  you  have  only  to  command  me. 
With  sincere  regards,  I  am, 

Very  truly  yours, 

Guilford  D.  Edritt. 

Bolling  Hall,  Dec.  10,  1841. 

Eev.  Jos.  1).  Tyler.  Prin.  D.  D.  and  B.  1 .. 

Staunton.    Va. 
My  Dear  Sir: 

Before  entering  into  the  circumstances  relative  to  my  attempt, 
the  first  that  had  been  made  in  the  United  States  to  establish  an 
institution  for  the  deaf  and  dumb,  it  may  be  interesting  to  you 
to  be  informed  of  the  education  of  two  brothers.  John  and  Thomas, 
and  that  of  my  sister,  Mary,  who  were  all  born  in  that  situation. 
John,  oldest,  was  sent  by  my  father  in  the  year  1771  to  Edinburgh, 
and  placed  under  the  care  and  tuition  of  Thomas  Braidwood. 
Thomas  and  Mary  followed  him  in  1775.  They  all  remained  in 
his  school  during  the  Revolutionary  war,  and  all  returned  to 
Cobbs,  Chesterfield  county,  Va.,  the  then  residence  of  my  father. 
Major  Thomas  Bolling,  in  July,  1783.  John  died  about  three 
months  after  his  return. 

(Here  follows  an  irrelevant  statement  of  their  acquirements — 
G.  D.  E.) 

Soon  after  the  return  of  my  brothers  and  sisters,  the  Braid- 
woods  moved  their  institution  from  Edinburgh  to  London. 

In  the  spring  of  1812,  John  Braidwood,  a  grandson  of  my 
brother's  preceptor,  arrived  in  the  city  of  Washington.  The  late 
Gov.  Pleasants,  of  this  county,  then  a  member  of  the  House  of 
Representatives  from  this  district,  knowing  the  situation  of  my 
family,  immediately  informed  me  thereof.  By  my  solicitation. 
Braidwood  visited  me  in  the  month  of  May  in  this  year.  His 
plan  was  to  rent  a  suitable  house  in  Baltimore,  hire  servants  and 
procure  everything  necessary  to  board  all  his  pupils.  War  having 
been  declared  by  the  United  States  against  Great  Britain,  he  was 
thereby,  as  he  said,  cut  off  from  receiving  remittances  from  Lon- 
don. The  fact  was  he  had  no  funds.  He  claimed  that  several 
gentlemen  in  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore  had  engaged  scholars 
to  him  (which  was  not  the  fact),  and  each  had  promised  to  ad- 
vance him  $600  to  enable  him  to  establish  his  institution.  I  ac- 
companied him  to  Richmond  and  placed  that  sum  in  his  hands, 
with  the  understanding  when  we  parted  that  his  institution  would 
open  on  the  1st  of  July  following,  and  that  in  the  meantime  he 
would  write  to  me  every  week  or  ten  days.  I  heard  nothing  from 
him  till  the  month  of  October  following,  when  I  received  a  letter 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  75 

from  him,  dated  in  the  jail  of  New  York.  He  had  associated 
himself  in  Richmond  with  a  young  Englishman,  recently  arrived, 
who  imposed  himself  on  the  public  as  the  son  of  a  nobleman. 
They  went  on  together  to  Washington,  Baltimore,  Philadelphia, 
etc.,  moving  in  high  style,  until  the  whole  of  my  money  was 
squandered.  Having  gotten  in  debt,  Braidwood  fled  to  New  York, 
where  he  was  pursued,  arrested  for  debt,  and  committed  to  jail. 
In  this  miserable  situation  he  applied  to  me  for  relief;  he  said 
he  was  arrested  for  that  nobleman's  debt,  for  which  he  was  in  no 
Avise  liable,  yet,  before  he  could  be  released,  it  would  be  necessary 
for  me  to  establish  a  credit  in  some  responsible  house  there  for 
the  sum  of  $400  to  discharge  the  judgment,  should  one  be  ob- 
tained against  him,  and  that  $200  more  would  be  required  to  pay 
his  jail  fee  and  defray  his  expenses  to  my  house,  which,  if  I 
would  do,  he  would  return,  take  charge  of  my  son,  and  remain 
with  me  until  I  should  be  compensated  for  those  advances.  Con- 
trary to  the  advice  and  opinion  of  all  my  freinds,  I  determined 
to  make  one  more  effort  to  obtain  his  services,  negotiated  the  credit 
as  required,  and  remitted  the  money  to  him.  Judgment  was  re- 
covered against  him  and  the  money  paid,  but  he  complied  with 
his  promise  and  returned  in  November,  1812,  took  charge  of  my 
son,  and  was  faithful  and  diligent,  exhibiting  unequivocal  evi- 
dence of  his  qualifications  in  his  profession,  and  admitted  my  son's 
extraordinary  capacity  to  receive  instruction,  whose  progress  was 
truly  gratifying,  until  the  following  summer,  when  being  in  com- 
mand of  a  troop  of  cavalry  of  this  country,  I  was  ordered  to  Nor- 
folk, where  I  remained  six  months  in  military  service.  From  this 
time  he  began  to  relax,  and  on  my  return  had  almost  abandoned 
his  duties.  Frequently  going  to  Petersburg,  ten  miles  distant,  he 
relapsed  into  his  former  habits  of  neglect,  dissipation  and  ex- 
travagance, became  largely  indebted  to  the  merchants  of  the  place, 
and  suddenly  abandoned  the  institution  and  fled  to  the  North ;  did 
nothing,  and  in  1818  returned  to  Richmond,  penniless,  friendless, 
and  scarcely  decently  clad.  Again  he  applied  to  me,  and  again  I 
went  to  his  relief  by  forming  a  connection  between  the  Rev.  Kick- 
patrick,  then  -residing  in  Manchester,  and  himself.  I  again  sent 
my  son  to  him  under  the  care  of  Rev.  Kirkpatrick.  They  had 
five  other  pupils,  and  he  conducted  himself  for  about  six  months 
to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  Rev.  Kirkpatrick,  but  before  the  third 
quarter  ended  Braidwood's  conduct  was  such  as  to  oblige  Rev. 
Kirkpatrick  to  dissolve  all  further  connection  with  him.  After 
this  he  became  a  barkeeper  in  a  tavern  in  Manchester,  where  he 
died,  a  victim  to  the  bottle,  in  the  year  1819-'20. 

In  conclusion,  my  dear  sir,  I  have  only  to  add  that  this  com- 
munication has  been  extended  far  beyond  my  intention  when  I 
commenced   it.     While  I  might  say  much  more,  it  has  been   a 


76  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

painful  task  to  say  as  much  of  a  person  now  no  more.  I  submit 
it  to  your  discretion  to  make  such  use  of  it  as  may  be  desired  in 
your  proposed  publication  on  the  subject,  either  in  extracts  or 
otherwise,  with  authority  to  refer  to  me  by  name,  for  all  the  facts 
which  I  have  stated. 

With  high  esteem  and  friendly  regard, 

William  Bolling. 

Dr.  James  Henderson. 

The  Lodge  appointed  a  committee  to  communicate  with  the 
relatives  of  the  late  Dr.  James  Henderson,  in  relation  to  the  re- 
moval of  his  remains  to  Maury  Cemetery.  This  committee  made 
the  following  report,  on  November  13th,  1882 : 

We,  the  committee  appointed  to  take  charge  of  the  remains  of 
our  deceased  brother,  the  Most  Worshipful  James  Henderson,  and 
those  of  his  son,  Eichard,  and  also  to  visit  the  relatives  of  our 
deceased  brethren,  beg  leave  to  make  the  following  report: 

That  we  are  now  ready,  and  have  made  arrangements,  to  take 
charge  of  said  remains  whenever  Mr.  E.  B.  Howie  shall  carry  out 
his  contract  with  the  heirs  of  our  deceased  brethren.  We  also 
beg  leave  to  report  that  we  at  first  visited  Mrs.  Lee,  the  widow 
of  the  late  Hancock  Lee,  whose  first  wife  was  the  daughter  of 
Dr.  James  Henderson.  We  afterwards  visited  and  had  an  inter- 
view with  Miss  Margaret  Henderson.  She  expressed  herself  as 
very  much  pleased  and  gratified  at  the  action  that  the  Masonic 
Lodge  of  Manchester  had  taken  relative  to  the  remains  of  her 
grandfather  and  uncle.  From  her  we  gained  the  information 
that  our  deceased  brother,  Dr.  James  Henderson,  was  born  in 
Liden,  Fife  county,  Scotland,  about  1763 ;  came  to  America  in 
1788;  married  in  1792  to  Mary  Ogilby,  of  Amelia  county;  re- 
moved to  Manchester  in  1804,  where  he  resided  until  his  death, 
1829,  aged  sixty-six  years.  We  further  report  that  in  her  name, 
and  that  of  her  sister,  Charlotte,  she  presented  to  Manchester 
Lodge,  No.  14,  the  Masonic  apron  which  had  been  worn  and  was 
the  property  of  our  brother,  the  late  Dr.  James  Henderson,  and 
they  also  kindly  loaned  to  this  Lodge  the  miniature  of  her  grand- 
father, from  which  it  is  the  wish  of  this  Lodge  to  have  a  picture 
taken.     All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

W.    T.  Lithgow. 
J.  B.  Vaden, 


V 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  77 


Officers  Past  and  Present. 


A  correct  list  of  the  officers  of  the  Lodge,  from  1786  to  1809, 
is  not  obtainable  from  the  Lodge  records.  During  this  period  the 
records  seemed  to  have  been  kept  in  fragments,  and  a  few  of  these 
fragments  are  yet  preserved,  but  are  still  unbound.  In  fact  they 
are  so  few  in  number  as  not  to  justify  being  bound.  From  these 
fragment  sheets,  and  from  official  circulars,  that  have  been  pre- 
served, it  is  known  officially  that  the  following  were  officers  of  the 
Lodge  in  the  years  named : 

1797 — James  Strange  (He  assisted  Masters  of  Eichmond  Lodges 
in  laying  corner  stone  of  the  Virginia  Penitentiary, 
August  12th,  1797). 

1798 — Eev.  John  Dunn,  Master. 

1799— B.  Markham,  Master. 

1800— B.  Markham,  Master. 

1801 — James  A.  Patteson,  Master. 

1802 — James  A.  Patteson,  Master. 

1803 — Henry  L.  Biscoe,  Master. 

1803 — Henry  L.  Payne,  Master. 

1804 — Henry  L.  Biscoe,  Master. 

1804 — Dr.  James  Henderson,  Master. 

1805 — Dr.  James  Henderson,  Master. 

The  Grand  Lodge  records,  from  1786  to  1809,  do  not  give  the 
officers  of  No.  14  during  this  period,  but  simply  gives  the  names 
of  the  deputies,  or  representatives,  from  No.  14.  In  all  probability 
these  names  represent  the  officers  of  the  Lodge,  but  their  respective 
offices  were  not  given. 

The  list  from  1809  to  the  present  time  is  obtainable  from  the 
Lodge  records,  and  the  Masters,  Senior  and  Junior  Wardens,  and 
Secretaries,  who  have  served  the  Lodge  is  as  follows :  ( See  next 
page.) 


78  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 


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History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  79 


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80  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 


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History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  81 


V 


Music  at  Masonic  Funerals. 

It  was  the  custom  of  the  Lodge  from  its  earliest  existence,  down 
to  about  1870,  to  have  music  at  the  burial  of  a  deceased  brother. 
The  highest  price  paid  at  any  one  time  during  an  interim  of 
ninety  years  was  twenty-five  dollars.  After  the  Civil  War,  when 
negroes  became  members  of  secret  benevolent  organizations,  they 
made  music  a  feature  at  all  funerals.  Sometimes  their  tunes  were 
indeed  ludicrous,  if  one  is  to  judge  from  a  newspaper  report  during 
Eeconstruction  Period.  The  reporter  wrote  that  a  Manchester 
colored  band,  attending  the  funeral  of  a  "colored  sister,"  on  a  rainy 
day,  played,  going  to  the  cemetery,  ''Wait  'till  the  Clouds  Eoll  By," 
and  on  returning,  very  touchingly  played,  "The  Girl  I  Left  Be- 
hind Me."    These  two  pieces  embraced  the  negro  band's  repertoire. 

The  advent  of  the  negro,  with  his  crude  burial  music,  had  much 
to  do  with  the  almost  absolute  retirement  of  the  white  bands  on 
funeral  occasions  in  Manchester. 

During  the  Civil  War. 

A  close  analysis  of  the  minutes  of  the  Lodge  during  the  great 
Civil  War,  discloses  more  than  really  appears  upon  the  surface  of 
the  records.  In  other  words,  while  the  minutes  are  clear  and  dis- 
tinct, yet  ensconced  between  the  lines,  are  more  than  what  the  mere 
formal  words  convey.  Month  after  month  the  Lodge  meets.  The 
Hall  is  almost  within  the  shadow  of  the  historic  Capitol  of  the 
Confederacy.  In  1860  the  Lodge  was  in  splendid  shape,  and  the 
members  were  doubtless  looking  forward  to  greater  usefulness  in 
the  broad  field  of  Masonry;  indeed,  such  was  really  the  case,  for 
there  were  true  men  at  the  helm  bent  on  steering  the  ship  safely. 
Another  year  and  then  came  the  crash  of  arms,  and  the  "dogs  of 
war"  were  turned  loose  upon  our  fair  land.  The  greatest  of  English 
writers  had  said: 

"War  is  a  game,  if  which,  were  their  subjects  wise, 
Kings  would  not  play  at." 

It  was  a  game,  in  which  the  South  played  her  part,  and  history 
will  take  care  of  the  Southern  side  in  that  tremendous  struggle. 
And    they   who   hereafter    write   profoundly   upon   constitutional 


82  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

liberty,  will  find  the  chief  exponents  and  defenders  of  the  Con- 
stitution among  the  men  of  the  South,  who  went  to  battle,  and  some 
to  death,  defending  the  right  of  state  sovereignty. 

When  the  bugle  call  to  arms  was  sounded,  Manchester  and  Ches- 
terfield sent  her  contingent  to  the  army,  and  those  men  made  an 
imperishable  record.  The  Lodge  met  regularly  all  during  the  war. 
In  the  list  of  membership  were  some  who  enlisted  for  regular 
service,  some  who  held  positions  in  the  Confederate  Government,  and 
others  employed  in  the  railroad  shops — all  not  in  regular  service 
being  connected  with  the  Home  Guard,  which  saw  service  in  the 
field  in  the  latter  days  of  the  war. 

Occasionally  some  of  the  brethren  would  slip  home  from  the 
army,  particularly  when  the  contending  forces  had  begun  to  hover 
around  Eichmond,  where  the  last  "die  was  to  be  cast,"  and  when 
the  life  of  the  Confederacy  was  steadily  ebbing  away. 

Brother  E.  J.  Howlett,  then  a  member  of  Chester  Lodge,  laid 
down  his  gun  and  knapsack  and  paid  Old  Fourteen  a  visit  one 
night  in  the  Sixties. 

Brother  A.  C.  Brandis,  now  one  of  the  oldest  members  of  the 
Lodge,  knocked  at  the  door  for  admission  on  the  night  of  September 
10th,  1864,  and  the  late  James  W.  Craig,  whom  many  of  the 
brethren  kindly  remember,  made  application  for  membership  that 
same  night. 

The  Lodge  had  many  enthusiastic  Masons  that  year.  Alfred  A. 
Allen,  whose  portrait  adorns  the  Lodge  room  wall,  was  then  deeply 
interested  in  the  success  of  Masonry  in  this  community. 

Lewis  Rodgers  often  attended  Lodge  meetings,  and  two  years 
afterwards,  when  the  foul  hand  of  a  cowardly  murderer  sent  him 
to  the  grave,  the  Lodge  put  on  record  that  in  his  death  the  craft 
had  lost  a  good  and  faithful  member. 

Alexander  Baxter,  who  three  years  before  had  marched  forth  to 
war  at  the  head  of  the  Elliott  Grays,  playing  with  all  his  vigor 
upon  his  beloved  fife, 

"The  Girl  I  Left  Behind  Me," 

was  there  as  musical  as  ever. 

Thomas  J.  Allgood,  the  man  who  made  the  black  walnut  ballot 
box,  now  used  by  the  Lodge,  was  a  member  then,  but  had  not  been 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  83 

in  the  Lodge  very  long.  He  was  a  man  of  wonderful  memory.  He 
had  little  trouble  learning  the  Masonic  catechism,  for  he  could 
read  a  page  in  a  book  but  once  and  then  repeat  that  page  almost 
verbatim.  He  was  a  skilled  workman,  and  what  he  laid  off  on  his 
trestle  board  was  nicely  done. 

William  Whitworth  was  a  very  worthy  brother,  and  then  it  was, 
he  began  to  recall  the  traditions  and  to  revere  the  memories  of  the 
Lodge.  No  brother  loved  Masonry  more  than  he.  A  patriarch  he 
was  among  the  craft,  and  only  a  few  years  have  passed  since  he 
"crossed  over  the  river  to  rest  in  the  shade  of  the  trees." 

J.  W.  Wells  and  Alexander  Fitzgerald  were  in  the  army,  and  "the 
difference  between  the  old  and  the  present  price  of  initiation  was 
remitted  in  their  cases,"  so  the  record  read.  But  what  cared  they 
for  "price."  Were  they  not  staking  their  all  for  home  and  country, 
and  gallantly  standing  with  that  brave  gray  line  that  made  the 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia  illustrious  in  warfare? 

James  D.  Lyle,  whose  father  and  grandfather,  and  great-grand- 
father before  him,  had  been  members  of  the  Lodge,  died  a  year 
before  the  ending  of  the  war,  and  when  the  cannonading  was  so 
terriffic  around  beleagured  Eichmond,  he  was  given  a  Masonic 
burial,  and  his  body  laid  to  rest  near  the  graves  of  his  ancestors. 

Other  names  appear  in  the  list  of  members  at  this  critical  time 
in  the  affairs  of  our  government.  Brother  E.  W.  Weisiger,  the 
poet  laureate  of  Old  Fourteen,  was  Secretary  of  the  Lodge.  At 
first  he  used  a  pencil  in  attesting  his  signature  to  the  minutes,  but 
later  his  patronymic  appeared  in  ink.  His  poetic  effusions  will 
ever  endear  him  to  the  brethren,  and  some  of  his  literary  contribu- 
tions will  find  space  elsewhere  in  this  compilation. 

Francis  Bacon  Clop  ton  (who  was  a  brother  of  Right  Wor.  Wil- 
liam I.  Clopton)  sometimes  acted  as  secretary,  and  faithfully 
recorded  the  minutes.  He  was  a  zealous  Mason,  and  passed  to  his 
reward  on  October  24th,  1865.  The  funeral  took  place  from  the 
residence  of  his  mother  (Mrs.  Maria  Clopton),  on  Clopton  Hill, 
and  the  services  were  conducted  by  Rev.  Dr.  J.  Lansing  Burrows, 
then  the  foremost  Baptist  divine  in  the  Southern  Church. 

Andrew  Overby,  who  accidentally  slipped  through  the  Richmond 
&  Danville  railroad  bridge  and  drowned,  while  assisting  to  save 
that  structure  during  the  great  freshet  in  .Tames  River  in  1877; 


84  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

A  Cary  Gibbs,  foreman  in  the  old  Eichmond  &  Danville  railroad 
shops,  and  father  of  Brother  William  Gibbs;  H.  C.  B.  Walker, 
who  left  Manchester  shortly  after  the  war  to  reside  in  Norfolk, 
whose  eldest  daughter  married  M.  C.  Keeling,  now  Major  in  the 
State  Artillery  of  Virginia,  and  Thomas  Vaden,  Jr.,  who  joined 
the  Lodge  in  1851,  when  it  took  on  a  new  and  vigorous  life,  after 
a  sleep  of  several  years,  were  among  those  who  kept  the  Lodge  going 
during  the  troublesome  times  of  war. 

William  B.  Bradley  was  acting  as  Master  of  the  Lodge  when  the 
civil  war  ended,  and  on  the  8th  of  April,  1865,  the  night  before 
the  day  of  the  surrender  at  Appomattox,  there  were  more  than 
forty  brethren  present.  This  included  a  visiting  brother  from  the 
city  of  New  York.  At  the  next  meeting  (May  6th,  1865)  all  the 
stations  and  places  were  filled,  pro  tem..  except  the  Tiler's  place, 
Brother  A.  J.  Simmons,  the  Tiler,  being  "without  the  door  with  a 
drawn  sword  in  his  hands."  Brother  Simmons  was  for  many 
years  toll  gatherer  on  Mayo's  Bridge. 

Notwithstanding  the  poverty  surrounding  them  in  consequence 
of  the  war,  the  brethren  were  liberal  and  generous.  Wor.  William 
W.  Weisiger,  who  had  been  assiduously  working  upon  the  Masonic 
trestle  board  since  1827,  was  in  1865  appointed  a  committee  to 
look  after  the  education  of  a  son  of  William  Wallace  Day,a  deceased 
brother,  who  in  his  day  was  one  of  the  most  brilliant  lawyers  that 
ever  practiced  at  the  Chesterfield  bar.  Hardly  had  the  smoke  of 
battle  ascended  above  the  Capitol  of  the  Confederacy,  than  new 
life  and  vigor  took  possession  of  the  craft,  and  inspired  by  the 
Masonic  zeal  and  wisdom  of  Wor.  William  Robert  Weisiger,  Old 
Fourteen  took  its  old  time  conspicuous  stand  among  the  Masonic 
Lodges  in  the  Commonwealth,  accredited  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Virginia. 

The  Weisigers  of  Old  Fourteen. 

The  men  from  Scotland,  who  started  the  fires  of  Masonry  in 
this  community  and  kept  them  burning  so  brightly  in  this  Lodge 
from  1786  until  1828,  had  their  compeers  in  men  of  the  English 
strain,  who  have  conducted  the  affairs  of  the  Lodge  since  1851.  In 
the  membership  is  found  brethren  of  the  Anglo  Saxon  race,  as 
true,  as  brave,  as  charitable  and  as  just  as  Scotland  furnished  in 
the  early  years  of  the  Lodge.     In  the  old  Anglo  Saxon,  Weisiger 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  85 

meant  philosopher  or  wise  man  (or  wizard),  and  in  the  reign  of 
Henry  VI.,  the  name  was  known  in  England,  and  they  who  bore 
the  cognomen  were  "greatly  che"  renown.  The  records  of  No.  14 
show  that  the  Weisigers  (originally  the  Weisagers)  were  indeed 
philosophers,  for  they  were  nurtured  in  that  philosophy  founded 
by  that  wise  philosopher,  who  "enriched  his  mind  abundantly  in 
a  general  knowledge  of  things,  and  more  especially  in  geometry 
and  Masonry,"  and  "in  the  joy  of  his  heart  he  exclaimed  Eureka." 

To  the  Weisigers  this  Lodge  is  deeply,  very  deeply  indebted,  and 
the  records  will  fully  bear  out  the  statement  that  this  name  shines 
with  peculiar  lustre  and  brightness  in  the  annals  of  Old  Fourteen. 

But  speaking  collectively  of  brethren  of  the  English  strain,  as 
in  contrast  with  those  sturdy  Scots  "who  started  the  ball  in  motion" 
and  launched  our  Lodge  to  life.  They  were  of  the  lineage  that 
brooked  no  danger,  nor  did  they  hie  themselves  out  of  sight  to 
escape  the  danger  of  defending  the  right.  How  pleasant  would  it 
be  could  these  pages  be  extended  so  as  to  give  a  personal  sketch  of 
the  many  brethren,  some  dead  and  some  yet  living,  who,  by  their 
deeds  of  charity,  bravery  and  brotherly  love,  exemplified  the  high- 
est type  of  noble  manhood. 

No  greater  courage  was  shown  at  Bannockburn  than  was  exhibit- 
ed on  the  heights  of  Gettysburg.  The  blow  of  the  claymore  was 
not  as  severe  as  the  clash  of  the  sabre,  the  clatter  of  the  musketry, 
and  the  roar  of  the  cannon. 

How  alluring  is  it  to  individually  portray  in  these  pages  the 
many  who  belonged  to  Fourteen;  who  distinguished  themselves  in 
public  life,  and  those  who  earned  the  gratitude  of  the  people  by 
their  deeds  of  charity,  and  of  brotherly  love.  How  great  is  the 
temptation  to  wander  from  the  original  purpose  of  this  compilation. 

A  Masonic  Family. 

John  Howlett,  who  lived  near  Granite,  in  Chesterfield,  was 
Steward  of  the  Lodge  in  1802,  and  was  a  pretty  good  provider.  He 
was  a  great  one  for  buying  cheese,  and  bought  the  best  the  market 
afforded.  His  accounts  show  that  he  paid  25  cents  a  pound  for  it, 
and  in  those  days  25  cents  had  a  greater  purchasing  power  than 
now.  Brother  Howlett  gave  the  brethren  light  refreshments  in  the 
summer  time,  but  when  cold  weather  set  in  he  called  into  service 


86  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

the  "Dutch  oven"  and  had  roast  shoat  and  barbecued  lamb.  He 
was  the  grandfather  of  E.  J.  Howlett,  and  the  great-grandfather 
of  J.  C.  Howlett,  present  member  of  the  Lodge.  The  records  show 
that  the  Howletts,  like  the  Weisigers,  are  truly  a  Masonic  family. 

The  Lodge  as  a  Schoolroom. 

The  old  Masonic  Hall  for  nearly  a  century  was  a  mecca  for  school 
children.  Many  educators  taught  there,  and  some  of  the  present 
members  of  the  Lodge  attended  school  there.  The  scholars  were 
not  seated  at  desks,  as  they  are  now,  but  sat  upon  benches  with 
their  faces  to  the  walls,  to  which  were  fastened  boards  answering 
the  purpose  of  desks.  These  boards  bore  the  imprint  of  the  knives 
of  scholars  who  had  an  irrespressible  hankering  for  carving  at  that 
time,  but  not  afterwards,  for  when  they  became  grown  up  men  they 
followed  other  business  than  woodcarving.  Some  of  these  bench 
cutting  boys  became  prominent  in  business  and  professional  life  in 
Richmond  and  Manchester.  They  left  their  initials  on  the  school 
furniture,  and  their  impress  years  afterwards  upon  the  business 
community.  Prof.  Elihu  Morrissette,  now  a  principal  of  one  of 
the  public  schools  in  Eichmond,  taught  in  the  Masonic  Hall,  with 
Rev.  Francis  J.  Boggs,  a  Methodist  minister,  who  was  for  sometime 
Chaplain  of  the  Lodge.  They  taught  there  some  years,  beginning 
in  1867.  One  of  their  scholars  discovered  and  removed  the  silver 
plate  which  had  been  placed  in  the  corner  stone  of  the  building. 
This  plate  was  promptly  turned  over  to  the  Lodge,  replaced  in 
the  corner  stone,  and  remained  there  until  taken  out  to  be  put  in 
the  corner  stone  of  the  Masonic  Temple,  where  the  Lodge  now 
meets. 

Besides  being  a  pedagogue  and  a  Methodist  minister,  Rev.  Fran- 
cis J.  Boggs  was  a  chaplain  in  the  Confederate  Army.  He  could 
teach,  pray,  preach  and,  if  necessary,  fight.  The  story  has  been 
told,  with  reliable  authenticity,  that  upon  one  occasion  he  expostu- 
lated with  a  soldier  for  imposing  upon  another.  Objecting  to  any 
interference,  on  the  part  of  the  chaplain,  the  soldier  who  Parson 
Boggs  had  reproved,  became  exceedingly  insulting  and  remarked: 
"If  you  were  not  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  I  would  thrash  you  well." 
He  mistook  his  man,  for  immediately  Parson  Boggs,  pulling  off 
his  coat  and  throwing  it  upon  the  ground,  said,  "Lie  there,  Method- 
ism, until  I  lick  this  man."    Imagination  can  picture  what  followed. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  87 


A  One- Armed  Worshipful  Master. 

This  Lodge  has  the  distinction  of  having  elected  a  Worshipful 
Master,  to  preside  in  the  East,  who  had  only  one  arm.  Probably 
no  other  Lodge  within  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Vir- 
ginia, since  its  formation,  has  ever  accorded  such  an  honor  to  a 
brother  similarly  afflicted.  Thaddeus  W.  Crow,  was  the  name  of 
this  one-armed  Worshipful  Master,  and  he  presided  over  the  Lodge 
in  1869  and  in  1873.  He  was  the  first  sergeant  in  the  old  Elliott 
Grays,  of  Mahone's  Brigade,  and  went  down  among  the  dead  and 
wounded  at  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  with  the  faith  of  a  little 
child  in  his  heroic  heart.  When  lying  wounded  upon  the  field  of 
Chancellorsville,  a  surgeon  said  to  him,  "Sergeant,  your  wound, 
I  think,  will  prove  fatal,  but  I  will  do  for  you  the  best  I  can." 
Thinking  that  his  wound  was  a  mortal  one,  and  seeing  many  of 
his  comrades  wounded  and  dead  nearby,  he  muttered  to  the  surgeon, 
"If  I  am  to  die,  leave  me  and  attend  to  those  who  can  be  saved." 
Saying  this  he  raised  his  eyes  heavenward  and  exclaimed, 

"The  Lord  giveth  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away, 
Blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

Then  he  sank  into  unconsciousness,  but  after  awhile  a  change 
for  the  better  took  place  and  finally  he  got  well  again.  He  was  a 
Mason  before  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville.  He  was  a  pillar  in 
the  Methodist  Church  when  the  congregation  worshiped  in  the 
building  now  standing  on  Ninth  Street,  near  the  court  house.  He 
was  for  many  years  president  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  town 
of  Manchester.  His  death,  at  a  ripe  age,  occurred  quite  recently 
at  Ashland,  Kentucky,  and  when  he  "smoothed  right  nobly  into 
his  long  rest"  there  passed  to  the  great  beyond  as  true,  as  pure, 
as  noble,  as  brave  a  man  as  ever  came  in  and  out  among  his  fellows. 

"The  Lord  giveth  and  the  Lord  hath  taken  away. 
Blessed  be  tbe  name  of  the  Lord." 

Corner  Stone  of  the  Manchester  Market  House. 

On  October  10th,  1866,  at  the  invitation  of  the  Board  of  Trustees 
of  the  town  of  Manchester,  the  Lodge  laid  the  corner  stone  of  the 


88  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

market  house,  Ninth  and  Hull  Streets.  Smith's  band  of  Richmond, 
furnished  the  music  for  the  occasion,  and  there  was  a  large  turn- 
out of  citizens  to  witness  the  corner  stone  laying.  Joseph  E. 
Seward  was  then  Master  of  the  Lodge.  The  building  was  used 
for  market  purposes  for  some  years,  and  considerable  business  was 
done  there.  There  were  few  grocery  stores  in  Manchester  then,  and 
the  market  was  crowded  early  with  buyers  and  sellers,  and  on 
Saturday's  the  crowd  was  unusually  large,  the  market  hours  con- 
tinuing all  day  on  Saturday's,  running  late  into  the  night.  A 
list  of  the  articles  deposited  in  the  corner  stone  was  not  recorded 
by  the  Lodge. 

Corner  Stone  Laying  of  Meade  Memorial  Church. 

On  July  29th,  1869,  the  Lodge  laid  the  corner  stone  of  the 
Meade  Memorial  Church,  on  Twelfth  and  Decatur  Streets.  Thad- 
deus  W.  Crow  was  Worshipful  Master.  After  prayer  by  Rev.  Dr. 
Joshua  Peterkin,  and  singing  by  the  choir,  an  impressive  address 
was  delivered  by  Rev.  Dr.  Charles  Minnigerode,  who  was  rector  of 
St.  Paul's  Church,  Richmond,  when  Jefferson  Davis  and  Robert 
E.  Lee  worshipped  there.  The  following  articles  were  deposited 
in  the  corner  stone : 

By  the  Lodge. — "Copies  of  its  constitution  and  by-laws,  and 
roll  of  officers  and  members,  and  a  World  Almanac." 

By  the  Church. — History  of  the  Church,  Prayer  Book,  Holy  Bible, 
$500  bond  of  the  State  of  Florida,  of  1861;  Farmers'  Gazette, 
1869 ;  Wynn's  Almanac,  1869 ;  copies  of  the  Dispatch,  Examiner 
and  Enquirer. 

Pictures  and  Portraits  in  the  Lodge  Room. 

There  are  some  very  interesting  pictures  and  portraits  on  the 
Avails  of  the  Lodge  room. 

This  entry  appears  in  the  minutes  of  the  meeting  of  the  Lodge, 
held  April  25,  1874: 

"The  likeness  of  Wor.  James  Lyle,  deceased,  was  presented  to 
the  Lodge,  and  Brother  S.  C.  Weisiger  appointed  to  take  charge 
of  the  same  and  have  it  in  good  condition."  There  was  an  interpo- 
lation in  this  entry,  made  with  lead  pencil,  stating  that  the  picture 
was  presented  by  Mrs.  French.     This  lady  is  a  granddaughter  of 


H.    A.    Maurice, 

Senior    Warden. 
Frank    S.    Anderson, 

Junior    Deacon. 

Myron  W.   Sheppard, 

Steward. 


A.    S.    Wright, 

Treasurer. 

R.    E.    Brown, 

Secretary. 

J.    A.    Williamson, 

Tiler. 


Charles   A.    Watkins, 

Junior    Warden. 

\V.    F.    Bryce,  Jr., 

Senior    Deacon. 

Jacob    Levy, 

st  eward. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  89 

V 

the  James  Lyle  referred  to,  and  is  still  living.  She  is  the  widow 
of  Colonel  S.  Bassett  French,  who  was  Secretary  to  several  Gov- 
ernors of  Virginia,  Judge  of  the  Hustings  or  Corporation  Court 
of  the  city  of  Manchester,  and  a  member  of  this  Lodge. 

The  presentation  of  this  portrait  of  Brother  Lyle  inspired  the 
Lodge,  at  the  same  meeting  night,  to  request  Wor.  Brother  Wm. 
E.  Weisiger  "to  procure  the  pictures  of  as  many  of  the  old  members 
as  possible  for  the  use  of  this  Lodge."  This  portrait  of  Brother 
Lyle,  which  was  obtained  by  Brother  Weisiger,  had  been  in  the 
possession  of  Mrs.  French  for  many  years.  It  was  in  bad  shape 
and  was  restored  by  Mr.  Trainham,  a  Richmond  artist,  whom  the 
Lodge  paid  $25  for  this  work. 

January  16,  1875.  "On  motion  the  pictures  of  Wor.  Wm.  A. 
Patteson  and  W.  W.  Weisiger  be  obtained  for  the  use  of  the  Lodge, 
and  Brother  S.  C.  Weisiger  requested  to  procure  the  same,  not  to 
cost  more  than  $25." 

At  this  meeting  Wor.  Wm.  R.  Weisiger  presented  to  the  Lodge  a 
copy  of  the  Ahyman  Rezon,  which  formerly  belonged  to  Alexander 
Banks,  who  was  a  charted  member  of  No.  14. 

This  book  is  not  now  in  possession  of  the  Lodge,  but  it  might 
be  traced  and  returned  to  the  archives. 

On  June  24,  1881,  Wor.  David  J.  Weisiger,  by  request  of  Mrs. 
Hexter,  of  Richmond,  "presented  the  picture  of  Brother  Emanuel 
Semon,"  and  on  motion,  the  following  was  adopted:  "Whereas, 
Manchester  Lodge,  No.  14,  has  this  day  been  the  recipient,  at  the 
hands  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Levi  Hexter,  of  a  picture  of  our  be- 
loved brother,  Emanuel  Semon,  therefore,  be  it 

Resolved,  That  the  Lodge  accepts  the  picture  with  feelings  of 
deep  love  for  his  memory,  and  that  a  committee  of  two  be  appointed 
to  return  the  thanks  of  the  Lodge  for  the  same.  The  Master  ap- 
pointed Brothers  D.  J.  Weisiger  and  T.  W.  Gentry  this  committee, 
and  on  motion,  the  Master,  Alexander  Fitzgerald,  uncle  of  Wor. 
Master  A.  H.  Fitzgerald,  was  added  to  the  committee." 

The  Centennial  of  Old  Fourteen. 

On  March  13,  1886,  the  following  was  adopted: 
"Resolved,  That  a  committee,  consisting  of  six,  be  appointed  by 
the  Worshipful  Master  to  take  into  consideration  the  celebration  of 


90  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

the  centennial  of  this  Lodge,  which  occurs  on  the  20th  of  November, 
next,  which  committee,  when  appointed,  shall  report  to  this  Lodge 
the  plans  for  the  appropriate  celebration  of  said  centennial."  The 
Worshipful  Master  appointed  the  following  as  the  committee: 
Brothers  Wm.  I.  Clopton,  A.  A.  Allen,  James  D.  Craig,  H.  Fitz- 
gerald, D.  J.  Weisiger  and  William  Whitworth. 

There  is  no  record  of  this  centennial  celebration  appearing  in 
the  minutes  of  the  Lodge.  A  programme,  and  a  most  excellent  one, 
was  arranged  and  nicely  carried  out,  but,  strange  to  say,  no  entry 
appears  in  the  minutes,  other  than  the  above,  in  reference  to  this 
celebration,  with  the  exception  of  possibly  one  line,  which  says, 
"Brother  B.  M.  Bobertson  was  added  to  the  Centennial  Committee." 

The  newspapers  of  Bichmond  gave  very  nice  reports  of  the 
centennial  celebration.  The  following  is  taken  from  the  Dispatch 
of  November  21st,  1886 : 

"The  one  hundredth  anniversary  of  the  organization  of  Man- 
chester Lodge,  No.  14,  A.  F.  &  A.  Masons,  was  celebrated  yesterday. 
When  the  morning  broke  the  sky  was  dotted  with  threatening 
clouds,  which  deterred  many,  who  otherwise  would  have  done  so, 
from  attending.  To  those  who  did,  the  day  was  one  of  real  enjoy- 
ment, and  it  was  an  event  long  to  be  remembered  in  Masonic  circles. 
The  members  met  at  their  Hall,  Fifth  and  Bainbridge  Streets,  soon 
after  9  o'clock,  and  about  an  half  hour  later,  in  regalia  and  under 
the  command  of  the  proper  officers,  marched  in  a  body  to  Bain- 
bridge Street  Baptist  Church,  where  a  sermon,  suitable  to  the 
occasion,  was  preached  by  the  Chaplain,  Bev.  W.  H.  Christian.  At 
the  church  there  were  many  gentlemen,  not  members  of  the  craft, 
and  a  number  of  ladies,  to  hear  the  sermon. 

"After  the  sermon  the  band  played  Nearer  My  God  to 
Thee,  and  the  Lodge  and  invited  guests  proceeded  to  the  Danville 
Depot,  where  a  special  train  was  in  waiting  to  bear  them  to  Bon 
Air,  where  the  other  exercises  were  to  take  place.  A  few  minutes 
travel  landed  the  party  at  their  destination,  and  upon  their  arrival 
a  short  time  was  spent  in  social  conversation. 

"About  12  o'clock  the  audience  assembled  to  hear  the  centennial 
address  by  Wor.  Brother  William  I.  Clopton.  This  was  an  im- 
portant contribution  to  Masonic  literature.  He  gave  an  interest- 
ing sketch  of  the  Lodge  from  the  time  it  was  constituted,  under 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  91 

dispensation,  February  28th,  1786,  and  its  organization,  under  a 
regular  charter  granted  by  the  Grand  Lodge,  November  20th,  of 
the  same  year,  up  to  the  present  time. 

"After  the  address  a  handsome  dinner  was  spread  in  the  spacious 
dining  room  of  the  Bon  Air  Hotel,  and  courses  for  one  hundred 
were  laid  at  once.     There  were  three  tables. 

"In  the  afternoon  there  was  music  and  dancing,  which  was  en- 
joyed to  a  great  extent.  The  party  returned  to  Manchester  about 
5  p.  m.,  having  spent  a  most  delightful  day.  The  festivities  inci- 
dent to  the  pleasing  circumstances,  which  enlisted  the  energies 
and  engaged  the  attention  of  the  brethren  of  Old  Fourteen,  were 
concluded  last  night  after  adjournment  of  the  regular  meeting  of 
the  Lodge.  The  members  and  their  visiting  friends  from  Bich- 
mond  and  elsewhere  then  marched  from  the  Lodge  room  to  Odd 
Fellows'  Hall,  corner  Eighth  and  Hull  Streets,  where  a  sumptuous 
banquet,  prepared  under  the  supervision  of  Prof.  Charles  L. 
Siegel,  was  served  in  courses  by  his  numerous  assistants.  The 
replies  to  the  regular  and  volunteer  toasts  were  all  appropriate  and 
elicited  hearty  applause.  Many  heartfelt  wishes  were  uttered  for 
the  continued  future  prosperity  of  Old  Fourteen,  now  worthily 
presided  over  by  Brother  Harry  B.  Owen,  and  who  was  peculiarly 
happy  last  night  in  his  acting  as  master  of  ceremonies,  as  well  as 
of  the  Lodge.  The  songs  of  Brother  F.  W.  Cunningham  lit  up 
the  occasion  and  his  auditors  to  a  genial  glow  of  satisfaction,  and 
a  feeling  of  entire  contentment  with  "all  the  world  and  the  rest 
of  mankind." 

The  Eichmond  State,  of  November  20th,  1886,  gave  a  fuller  re- 
port of  Wor.  Brother  Clopton's  address  (This  writer  was  the  re- 
porter). The  following  interesting  extract  from  Brother  Clopton's 
address  was  published  in  the  State: 

"At  that  time,  Manchester,  although  much  smaller  in  popula- 
tion than  it  is  now,  had  a  much  greater  commercial  importance. 
It  was  the  point  of  export  for  a  large  portion  of  the  tobacco  of 
the  southside  country,  and  at  one  time  had  fourteen  commercial 
houses,  which  imported  foreign  goods.  The  writer  was  informed 
by  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Hewlett,  born  in  1776,  that  it  was  the  common 
occurrence  to  see  wagon  trains  from  Philadelphia,  which  had  come 
to  Manchester  to  buy  foreign  goods.  Amongst  these  Manchester 
merchants  James  Lyle  and  Cornelius  Buck  were  prominent,  and 
amassed    fortunes    and    died    full    of   honors,    leaving   many    de- 


92  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

scendants.  All  that  is  known  of  Alexander  Banks,  is  that  he  died 
and  was  buried  in  the  old  Hatcher  burying  ground,  on  Seventh 
Street.  James  Lyle,  Sr.,  James  Lyle,  Jr.,  and  James  Lyle,  minor, 
were  all  at  one  time  (father,  son  and  grandson)  members  of  our 
Lodge,  and  James  Lyle  (IV),  who  died  a  bachelor,  was  a  member 
in  the  recollection  of  some  of  the  older  brethren  present.  Neither 
Banks  nor  Buck  left  male  descendants  to  take  their  places  in  the 
ranks.  For  many  years  the  course  of  the  Lodge  was  one  of  un- 
exampled prosperity.  The  names  of  the  best  men  of  the  towns  and 
surrounding  country  were  borne  upon  its  rolls.  Time  will  not 
permit,  on  this  occasion,  to  call  the  roll.  I  will  commit  that  task 
to  some  pious  brother  of  the  Lodge,  who  in  this  labor  of  love  will 
gather  from  the  minute  books  of  the  Lodge  the  names  of  those 
men  who  have  been  best  loved  and  most  highly  honored  amongst 
us  during  three  or  four  generations.  From  an  old  paper  it  appears 
that  the  Lodge  held  its  meetings  at  rooms  rented  of  Thomas  Baillie 
(this  should  be  Thomas  Bailey),  and  afterwards  at  rooms  rented 
of  James  Franzier.  [This  should  be  Arthur  Graves,  as  a  closer 
inspection  of  the  old  receipted  bills  and  letters  in  the  archives  will 
show.  Thomas  Baillie  was  Steward  of  the  Lodge  at  one  time,  and 
James  Frazier,  not  Franzier,  was  likewise  a  Steward.  Baillie  paid 
the  rent  money  for  the  Lodge.  The  minutes  on  which  Bight  Wor. 
Brother  Clopton  relied  for  his  authority  were  incorrectly  recorded 
by  the  Secretary.] 

"Where  these  rooms  were  tradition  does  not  inform  us.  Growing 
rich  and  prosperous,  the  Lodge  in  the  year  1795,  laid  the  corner 
stone  of  the  building  we  now  occupy  with  great  ceremony.  Our 
then  Master  Alexander  Campbell,  a  distinguished  lawyer  of  that 
day,  assisted  by  the  then  Masters  of  Nos.  10  and  36,  and  in  the 
presence  of  a  multitude,  which  included  Governor  Brooke,  Deputy 
Grand  Master,  and  John  Marshall,  Grand  Master,  and  other  dis- 
tinguished persons,  laid  the  corner  stone,  which  was  exposed  and 
replaced  in  repairing  the  building  in  1868-9. 

"From  this  period  the  Lodge  enjoyed  great  prosperity  and  honor 
in  the  community,  until  about  the  year  1827,  when  its  fortunes 
suffered  a  decline.  One  by  one,  in  dim  and  solemn  procession,  the 
elder  brethren  passed  away  to  that  celestial  country  from  whose 
bourne  no  traveler  returns.  Their  seats  were  vacant  in  the  Lodge 
room,  their  voices  no  longer  awaken  the  echoes  of  the  mighty  con- 
clave, and  no  Apprentices  applied  to  fill  their  places.  For  more  than 
twenty  years  downward,  and  only  downward,  appeared  to  be  the 
course  of  the  Lodge.  The  star  of  its  hope  seemed  destined  to  be 
quenched  in  the  darkness  of  an  eternal  night,  but,  pale  and  flicker- 
ing though  it  grew,  it  was  yet  destined  to  shine  on  and  shine  on 
until  the  dawning,  when  it  should  be  merged  in  the  splendor  of 
the  coming  day. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  93 

V 

". 

"In  the  year  1845,  the  membership  was  reduced  to  seven — Broth- 
ers Wm.  A.  Patteson,  Wm.  W.  Weisiger,  Win.  Walker,  James  Nes- 
bitt,  S.  Lethbridge,  Titus  C.  Eice  and  Emanuel  Seman,  who  served 
as  Tiler  for  years  without  pay.  In  1845,  Brother  Lethbridge  disap- 
peared; Brother  Eice  rarely  attended,  and  Brother  Nesbitt  not  al- 
ways; but  the  "three  Williams,"  and  the  grand  old  tiler,  were 
usually  present  when  the  Lodge  met,  and  the  minutes  show  that 
often  there  was  no  meeting  at  all.  The  revenues  of  the  Lodge 
failing,  there  was  not  even  money  enough  in  the  treasury  to  pay 
the  insurance  on  the  property,  which  was  sold  and  bought  in  by 
the  town,  and  the  Lodge  room  rented  out  to  another  society,  re- 
serving to  the  Lodge  the  poor  privilege  to  meet  in  some  hole  and 
corner  of  the  building.  The  star  of  its  hope  seemed,  indeed,  about 
set.  The  elder  brethren  were  sometimes  convivial,  and  Lodge  tradi- 
tions relate  that  three  Brothers  William,  when  the  Lodge  was 
closed,  were  in  the  habit  of  accompanying  the  tiler,  who  lived  in 
Bichmond,  across  Mayo's  Bridge,  that  he  might  pass  in  safety  by 
night  over  the  dark  and  rushing  river ;  that  in  the  sombre  darkness 
over  the  solemn  river  at  midnight  their  spirits  often  failed,  and  it 
was  concluded  time  and  again  that  all  hope  for  the  Lodge  had  fled, 
and  that  the  charter  must  be  surrendered.  But  after  they  would  get 
across,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  time,  a  parting  glass  with 
Brother  Seman  was  always  taken  at  the  old  Alhambra,  and  there 
amid  the  garish  lights  and  genial  warmth  the  despair  born  of 
darkness,  cold  and  disappointment  was  always  retracted,  and  the 
charter  was  never  surrendered.  Thus  is  seen  how  hearts  cast  in 
the  heroic  mould,  and  souls  filled  with  the  afflatus  of  celestial  fire 
can  rise  superior  to  the  buffets  of  outrageous  fortune  and  stand 
to  the  post  of  duty  though  tho  heavens  shall  fall.  All  honor  to 
these  noble  brethren,  who,  with  a  faith  always  true,  and  hearts 
always  brave,  watched  over  and  guided  through  darkness  and  temp- 
est, the  strong  built  argosy  laden  with  the  precious  cargo  of  our 
then  unborn  hopes,  that  it  might  glide  safely  into  the  haven  when 
the  coming  day  should  disclose  the  port.  But  the  eclipse,  under 
which  the  Lodge  labored,  was  destined  to  end ;  even  then  the  coming 
day  'stood  tiptoe  on  the  misty  mountain  top,'  the  renaissance  of 
the  Lodge  was  at  hand,  and  the  glories  of  its  past  were  to  shine 
again  with  brightness  of  its  renewed  youth." 

This  beautiful  allusion  had  reference  to  the  new  life,  which  the 
Lodge  took  on  in  1850,  when  nine  candidates  applied  for  initiation, 
and  when,  what  was  thought  to  be  "the  setting  sun,"  gave  place  to 
"the  rising  sun"  and  the  Lodge  proceeded  to  stand  up  like  a  strong 
man  ready  for  a  race. 


94  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

Brief  Lodge  Notes. 

On  February  16,  1878,  the  Lodge  appropriated  $20  toward  pay- 
ment for  the  monument  to  Eight  Eev.  John  Dove,  in  Hollywood 
Cemetery.  Brother  Dove  was  buried  in  Old  St.  John's  Church  yard, 
Eiehmond. 

On  January  19,  1883,  seven  brethren  presented  a  petition  to 
organize  a  new  Lodge  in  Manchester,  and  this  petition  was  re- 
jected. 

On  December  27,  1882,  Brother  I.  C.  Wells,  one  of  the  founders 
of  the  Fifth  Street  Methodist  Sunday  School,  informed  the  Lodge 
that  the  "new  House  was  built,  and  that  they  had  moved."  This 
had  reference  to  the  Fifth  Street  Church.  The  congregation  has 
worshipped  in  the  old  Masonic  Hall,  pending  the  erection  of  the 
Church  building.  Brother  Wells  was  the  father  of  Brother  Cor- 
nelius S.  Wells,  at  present  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  Lodge. 

It  would  seem  from  a  paragraph  in  the  minutes  of  July  20,  1872, 
that  the  Lodge  had  been  neglecting  to  use  candles  about  the  altar. 
The  record  says : 

"Wor.  Brother  T.  W.  Crow,  on  behalf  of  a  committee  for  light- 
ing the  Lodge  room,  made  a  verbal  report,  recommending  that  five 
brackets  for  lamps  be  placed  on  the  walls  of  the  room,  and  that 
candles  be  used  about  the  altar." 

On  December  27,  1884,  St.  John's  Festival  was  celebrated  in 
grand  style.  The  record  says:  "Some  beautiful  and  touching 
remarks,  pertaining  the  the  Lodge,  were  made  by  H.  Fitzgerald, 
William  Whitworth,  H.  B.  Owen,  Fahr,  Meredith,  Blanton,  Lloyd, 
Crutchfield,  Walsh,  and  many  others."  Wor.  F.  A.  Lamb  was 
then  Master. 

Midlothian  Lodge,  No.  211,  informed  Manchester  Lodge,  No.  14, 
on  June  24,  1875,  that  the  new  Masonic  Hall,  at  Midlothian,  would 
be  dedicated  July  5,  1875,  and  invited  the  brethren  of  Manchester 
Lodge  to  attend  the  ceremonies.  P.  S.  Hancock  was  then  Master 
of  Midlothian  Lodge,  and  concluded  the  invitation  in  these  words : 
"May  the  great  Architect  of  the  Universe  bless  you,  and  each  and 
every  one  of  you  and  your  families" 

On  October  9,  1875,  Manchester  Lodge,  No.  14,  became  a  member 
of  the  Widows  and  Orphans  Home  Association,  a  statement  to  this 
effect  being  inserted  in  the  minutes  of  that  date. 


History  op  Manchester  Lodge.  95 

V 

I 

On  August  30,  1878,  a  call  communication  was  held  in  reference 
to  aiding  the  yellow  fever  sufferers  in  the  South.  The  Lodge  ap- 
propriated fifty  dollars  for  the  relief  of  the  sufferers. 

Brother  George  0.  Yanderslice,  then  pastor  of  the  Methodist 
Church,  delivered  an  appropriate  address,  on  the  occasion  of  the 
celebration  of  the  festival  of  St.  John  The  Evangelist,  December 
27,  1875.  •  And  the  record  shows  that  short  addresses  were  delivered 
by  other  brethren.  Brothers  F.  J.  Boggs  and  Peyton  Johnston, 
whom  the  brethren  were  anxious  to  have  present,  sent  regrets  at 
not  being  able  to  participate  in  the  festivities. 

On  October  16,  1880,  Brothers  Henry  Fitzgerald,  John  H.  Fos- 
ter and  W.  T.  Lithgow,  were  appointed  a  committee  "to  ascertain 
on  what  terms  crockery,  etc.,  can  be  purchased  for  the  Lodge,  with 
its  number  stamped  on  it,  and  report."  The  Lodge  subsequently 
bought,  as  above  described,  and  has  some  of  it  yet. 

Poet  Laureate  on  'Possum  Night. 

Brother  Emmet  W.  Weisiger,  who  has  been  a  member  of  No.  14 
since  1863,  is  now  recognized  as  the  poet  laureate  on  'Possum 
Night.  His  nom  de  plume  is  "Old  Shy,"  which  is  appreciated 
by  his  intimate  friends.  His  best  contribution  was  on  the  Festival 
of  St.  John  The  Evangelist,  December  27th,  1905,  and  is  as 
follows : 

'Possum  Night. 

A  hundred  years  ago,  or  more, 
A  band  of  worthy  workers 
Met  in  epicurean  way, 
With  game,  foul,  fish  and  porkers. 

But  there  was  lacking  at  their  feasts, 
When  work-worn  they  were  weary, 
And  nothing  would  supply  the  want 
But  the  "Didelphis  Azarae." 

From  that  time  has  this  custom  been, 
When  craftsmen  meet  together. 
That  hospitality  shall   reign 
With  naught  good  cheer  to  tether. 


96  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

"Old  Fourteen,"  known  as  'Possum  Lodge, 
Sends  you  this  invitation, 
On  Saint  John's  night  to  partake  of 
A  marsupial  collation. 

"Old  Shy." 

Opening  and  Closing  Odes  Were  Sung. 

It  was  customary  in  the  early  history  of  the  Lodge  to  have  sing- 
ing at  the  opening  and  closing  of  the  Lodge;  in  fact,  it  was  a  rare 
thing  for  the  brethren  from  the  land  of  Burns  to  fail  to  sing  when- 
ever opportunity  was  offered  them.  Coming  later  down,  in  1820 
to  1830,  and  even  to,  almost,  if  not,  within  some  thirty  years  back, 
the  Lodge  frequently  sang  at  the  opening  and  closing  the  following : 

Opening. 

To  Heaven's  high  Architect  all  praise, 

All  gratitude  be  given, 
Who  deigned  the  human  soul  to  raise, — 

By  secrets  sprung  from  Heaven. 

Now  swells  the  choir  of  solemn  tone, 

And  hovering  angels  join; 
Eeligion  looks  delighted  down, 

When  Vof  ries  press  the  shrine. 

Blest  be  the  place!  thither  repair 

The  true  and  pious  train; 
Devotion  wakes  her  anthems  there, 

And  Heaven  accepts  the  strain. 


Closing: 

Now,  brothers,  we  must  part, 
Where  we  have  met  in  Peace, 

Where  Harmony  its  joys  impart, 
And  strife  and  discord  cease. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  97 

We,  on  the  Level  meet, 

Upon  the  Square  we  part; 
May  Truth  and  Love  and  Friendship  sweet 

Pervade  each  brother's  heart. 

Here,  Lord,  before  we  part, 

Help  us  to  bless  Thy  name; 
Let  every  tongue  and  every  heart. 

Praise  and  adore  the  same. 

Interesting  Documents. 

Among  the  interesting  papers  found  in  the  possession  of  the 
Lodge  is  one  prepared  by  G.  Fleming,  who  was  a  member  of  the 
Lodge  in  1786.  It  is  called,  "Order  proposed  for  going  out  of 
the  Lodge."  The  procession  was  as  follows:  "The  youngest  Ma- 
son with  a  rod  tipt  with  gold ;  two  entered  apprentices,  their  aprons 
in  due  form;  visiting  apprentices,  aprons  in  due  form;  crafts  in 
form,  visiting  crafts,  masters,  that  is,  members  of  the  Lodge; 
visiting  master  Masons,  'stewards/  secretary  and  treasurer,  junior 
and  senior  warden,  past-masters  and  masters;  three  pillows  by 
three  master  Masons,  two  deacons  with  rods  tipt  with  gold,  the 
'youngest'  brother  with  the  Bible,  sword  bearer,  music.  At  the  out- 
side of  the  door  the  brethren  'oppens'  to  right  and  left,  and  they 
that  are  last  marches  through,  by  which  the  last  becomes  first  and 
the  first  will  be  last.  The  procession  marched  in  two's  with  the 
exception  of  the  three  master  Masons,  carrying  the  three  pillows, 
and  the  youngest  brother  with  the  Bible,  and  the  sword  bearer." 
This  was  the  procession  prepared  by  Brother  G.  Fleming,  and  was 
illustrated.  The  illustrations  are  unique;  the  jewels  of  the  offi- 
cers being  drawn  with  a  quill  pen.  The  music  was  represented  by 
three  illustrations,  a  flute,  a  bugle  and  a  violin.  This  interesting 
document  should  be  framed  and  have  a  place  in  the  Lodge  room. 

Another  interesting  document  in  the  possession  of  the  Lodge, 
is  the  policy  of  insurance  that  the  Mutual  Assurance  Society  is- 
sued. This  is  dated  June  17,  1796,  and  the  Hall  is  described  as 
follows:  "A  Free  Masons'  Hall,  marked  'A',  the  walls  built  of 
brick,  covered  with  wood;  situated  on  a  cross  street,  running  north 
at  the  said  place   (Manchester),  occupied  by  the  members  of  the 


98  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

said  Lodge,  No.  14,  between  the  said  street  and  that  of  the  garden 
of  Mr.  Buck,  in  the  county  of  Chesterfield."  The  Lodge  property 
was  valued  at  $2,400,  and  it  carried  an  insurance  of  $1,920.  This 
policy,  half  of  it  only  remaining,  should  also  be  framed  and  hung 
up  in  the  Lodge  room. 

Personal  and  Brief  Paragraphs. 

The  following  personal  allusions  to  members  of  the  Lodge  in 
olden  times,  and  brief  paragraphs,  are  from  reliable  sources,  princi- 
pally from  old  newspapers,  bills  and  communications,  the  latter 
being  still  preserved,  and  in  possession  of  the  Lodge : 

On  the  29th  of  June,  1796,  the  Lodge  bought  one  Dutch  Oven, 
and  paid  therefor  4  shillings  and  2  pence.  This  Dutch  Oven  was 
used  for  baking  pigs,  which  seems  to  have  been  a  popular  dish  with 
the  brethren  in  the  olden  times.  A  Dutch  Oven  is  a  cast  iron 
utensil,  where  coals  of  fire  could  be  put  on  the  top  and  bottom. 

A  communication,  dated  Cabin  Point,  Va.,  December  7,  1787, 
signed  William  Calder,  Secretary,  was  received,  informing  our 
Lodge  that  Cabin  Point  Lodge  had  on  hand  a  lottery  for  the  pur- 
pose of  raising  the  sum  of  500  pounds,  to  erect  a  Masons'  Hall  at 
that  place,  and  they  wished  Manchester  brethren  to  take  some  of 
the  tickets  which  they  had  still  undisposed  of.  This  communica- 
tion bore  a  heavy  wax  seal,  which  the  lapse  of  a  hundred  years  has 
but  slightly  marred. 

April  29,  1786,  Gardner  Fleming  bought  for  the  Lodge,  from 
Jacob  Ege,  three  jewels.  The  character  of  the  jewels  was  not 
given. 

June  20,  1786,  the  Lodge  bought  a  snuffer  to  extinguish  the 
candles.  The  Lodge  then  being  lighted  with  tallow  candles.  In 
fact,  most  of  the  houses  were  then  lighted  with  candles.  Jumping 
over  the  space  of  one  hundred  years  we  have  the  electric  light, 
showing  the  wonderful  progress  made  in  illuminating  the  Lodge 
room. 

Asa  Driscoll  shingled  the  old  Lodge  November,  1818,  and  en- 
tered into  an  iron-bound  contract  with  B.  C.  Standard  and  Over- 
ton Baker  to  do  the  work. 

A.  A.  Wilkinson  charged  $10  for  four  days'  "writing  of  records, 
on  the  last  of  December  and  February,  1823."     This  could  hardly 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  99 

V 

have  reference  to  the  minutes,  as  the  handwriting  of  these  seem 
to  be  the  same  as  the  signatures  of  the  several  secretaries. 

"Gardner  Fleming,  on  March  7,  1786,  paid  Jacob  Ege  one  pound 
and  ten  shillings  for  making  three  jewels.  John  Clarke  was  paid 
May  16,  1786,  for  making  four  collums,  three  rolers  and  one 
balloting  box."  His  total  bill  was  three  pounds.  James  Alexander 
was  paid  for  a  lock  for  the  "chest." 

Ben  Plummer  gave  Francis  Baillie  a  receipt,  June  16,  1787,  for 
attendance  St.  John's  night.  Plummer  made  his  mark,  as  he 
could  not  write.  He  was  doubtless  a  caterer.  Moses  Treadway 
came  with  his  bill,  on  April  5,  1786 :  "Eight  bowles  of  toddy, 
one  pound  and  12  shillings;  three  bottles  of  porter,  six  shillings; 
three  tumblers  of  grog,  2  shillings;  total,  two  pounds."  John 
Graham  presented  this  bill:  "Richmond,  April  22,  1786,  21  gal- 
lons of  old  spirits,  7  pounds  and  7  shillings;  2  casks  of  old  spirits, 
10  shillings;  total,  7  pounds  and  17  shillings."  This  bill  was  paid 
April  26,  1786.  There  is  nothing  in  the  record  to  state  for  what 
purpose  these  spirits  were  used,  but  the  records  show  that  no  dis- 
putation arose  over  paying  any  of  the  bills  for  "spirits." 

June  20,  1786,  Francis  Baillie,  sometimes  written  Bayler,  bought 
16  gallons  of  old  spirits,  for  5  pounds  10  shillings  and  8  pence. 
This  purchase  was  made  in  Petersburg,  and  the  freight  from  that 
place  to  Manchester  was  1  shilling  and  6  pence.  A  little  over  one 
half  of  this  bill  was  paid  in  August,  1786.  Time  was  given  for 
the  balance. 

In  1789,  John  Murchie  was  paid  "5  shillings  for  glasses  broken 
on  St.  John's  Day,"  June.  There  must  have  been  a  considerable 
smash-up  of  glasses  on  that  occasion. 

Mrs.  Ashley  made  bread  and  cake  in  Manchester  in  that  year. 
She  charged  the  Lodge  19  shillings  and  4  pence  for  baking  a  cake, 
December,  1788. 

This  same  year  the  tiler  bought  a  cooling  tub.  Buying  a  cool- 
ing tub  in  the  winter  months  carries  some  significance. 

The  Lodge  room  was  scoured  just  prior  to  the  night  of  St.  John, 
June,  1789,  and  it  was  done  by  James,  who  was  doubtless  a  negro 
slave. 

On  June  28,  1788,  the  Lodge  received  a  credit  of  6  shillings  for 


100  Histoky  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

an  empty  rum  cask.  The  craft  evidently  had  no  use  for  empty 
rum  casks,  and  disposed  of  this  one  at  the  above  price. 

The  Lodge  bought  John  Dougald  Furguson,  June  24,  1788, 
15y2  yards  of  Federal  ribbon.  What  this  Federal  ribbon  was  used 
for  is  a  matter  of  conjecture.  In  those  piping  times  of  political 
strife,  when  the  Federal  party  was  so  popular,  it  is  easily  explained 
how  the  ribbon  received  its  name. 

The  doctrine,  "once  a  Mason,  always  a  Mason,"  which  we  some- 
times hear  now,  had  no  force  in  1795;  the  language  was  explicit, 
"Expelled  forever." 

In  1796  Kichard  Hewlett  received  payment  for  three  pints  of 
oil.  Hewletts  were  well  known  in  Manchester.  Isaac  Hewlett, 
probably  a  brother  of  Richard  Hewlett,  repaired  the  property  of 
Cornelius  Buck  in  1799,  at  Buck  Hill,  as  the  inscription  upon  the 
lead  sash  weights,  taken  from  the  building  12  years  ago,  bore  his 
name. 

May  29,  1798,  John  Jackson  and  James  Lyle,  at  the  request  of 
the  Lodge,  examined  Brothers  Miles  Bott  and  James  B.  Monlove 
in  the  first  degree  of  Masonry,  "and  found  them  sufficiently  skilled 
to  entitle  them  to  the  degree  of  fellow-craft."  The  same  day 
James  Lyle,  Jr.,  and  Daniel  Price,  a  committee,  examined  Brother 
Jesse  Hicks  in  the  second  degree  of  Masonry,  "and  found  him 
sufficiently  skilled  to  entitle  him  to  the  degree  of  Master  Mason." 
Jesse  Hicks  owned  the  brick  house  which  formerly  stood  on  the 
hill  on  Eighth  Street,  between  Perry  and  McDonough.  It  is  some- 
times spelled  Hix. 

In  1803  the  Lodge  bought  of  Block  &  Seixes,  27  yards  of  cur- 
tain calico  and  8  yards  of  tape.  This  would  seem  that  the  Lodge 
had  new  curtains  that  year.     It  cost  some  $13.32. 

The  Lodge  has  a  printed  circular  in  its  possession,  dated  October 
27,  1786,  which  shows  the  proceedings  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  held 
in  Richmond,  by  order  of  the  Most  Worshipful  Grand  Master,  on 
the  27th  of  October,  1786,  neatly  printed.  There  was  present  at 
this  Grand  Lodge  meeting,  from  Manchester  Lodge,  Jacob  Rubsa- 
men  and  Robert  Murray.  At  this  meeting  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  a 
committee,  appointed  to  consider  of  and  locate  the  rank  of  the 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  101 

several  Lodges  in  this  state,  dependent  upon  the  Grand  Lodge, 
made  a  report,  and  Manchester  Lodge  was  put  down  as  follows : 
"No.  14,  Manchester,  February  28,  1786."  This  shows  officially 
that  Manchester  Lodge,  of  No.  14,  official  organization,  dated  from 
February  28,  1786.  This  copy  of  the  proceedings  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  should  also  be  framed  and  hung  up  in  the  Lodge  room. 

March  25,  1808,  Brother  Thomas  Upshaw,  who  was  called  Ma- 
jor Thomas  TJpshaw,  and  probably  received  that  title  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary  War,  informed  Captain  Richard  B.  Goode  and  Mr.  John 
Jenkins,  that  Major  Upshaw  had  been  charged  on  the  treasurer's 
books  with  $7,  for  Robert  McTyre.  "If  it  is  the  case,"  wrote 
Brother  TJpshaw,  "I  protest  against  it.  I  will  pursue  such  measures 
through  the  Grand  Lodge.  It  is  true,  I  received  an  order  on  Mr. 
William  B.  Clarke  in  that  sum,  but  his  engagement  to  me  was 
$12.50." 

Horace  Austin,  Treasurer,  paid  Thomas  Railey,  October  10, 
1788,  6  pounds  and  5  shillings,  for  one  quarter  rent  of  the  Lodge, 
due  the  21st  of  last  month. 

August  28,  1786.  "The  Lodge  bought  ten  yards  of  green  baize 
for  covering  the  table."  Now,  just  what  table  this  is  was  not 
stated.  It  may  have  been  the  table  used  by  the  Worshipful  Master, 
or  it  may  have  been  used  by  the  Secretary,  or  the  Treasurer. 

William  Wallace  Day's  petition  for  membership  was  in  the  hand- 
writing of  S.  Bassett  French,  but  was  signed  by  Day. 

Moses  Treadway  furnished  the  dinner  on  the  night  of  St.  John 
The  Baptist,  June,  1786,  and  his  bill  was  9  pounds,  being  dated 
June  20,  1786.  Moses  Treadway  furnished  more  than  one  dinner 
to  the  Lodge,  and  he  was  a  caterer  of  some  distinction  in  his  day. 

In  1790  William  Ball  provided  a  dinner,  on  June  24,  St.  John 
The  Baptist  Festival,  and  this  is  what  he  gave  the  brethren  to 
eat:  11  chickens,  two  pigs,  three  quarters  of  lamb,  one  quarter  of 
veal,  six  pounds  of  butter,  six  pounds  of  sugar,  two  hams  of  bacon, 
each  weighing  17  pounds,  and  six  loaves  of  bread.  In  addition  to 
this  the  brethren  were  served  with  cabbage,  cucumbers,  preserved 
cherries  and  grapes.  This  dinner  cost  7  pounds  exactly,  and  was 
promptly  paid  by  the  Lodge 

The  Lodge  bought  a  record  book,  September,  1786,  or  rather 
paid  for  one  on  that  date,  that  cost  1  pound  and  16  shillings.    This 


102  History  or  Manchester  Lodge. 

book  was  to  keep  the  minutes  of  the  Lodge  in,  but  has  disappeared, 
and  the  records  of  that  period  disappeared  with  it. 

"On  April  11,  1786,  the  Lodge  paid  for  one  dozen  finished 
aprons,  furnished  by  Brother  State."  These  aprons  were  made 
of  sheep  skin,  and  have  long  since  been  worn  out.  They  cost  1 
pound  and  16  shillings. 

In  1797  Manchester  Lodge  "was  invited  to  participate  in  the 
laying  of  the  corner  stone  of  the  Penitentiary  House,  agreeable 
to  the  request  of  the  Honorable,  the  Executive  of  the  State,  but 
at  the  same  time,  from  the  badness  of  the  weather  and  other 
causes,  the  corner  stone  was  not  laid  at  the  time  proposed,  but  had 
to  be  postponed  until  Saturday,  August  12,  1797.  The  Lodges 
participating  in  the  laying  of  this  corner  stone  were  Nos.  10,  14, 
19  and  36." 

In  1786  it  was  the  custom  to  fine  members  of  the  Lodge  when 
they  were  absent.  The  Lodge  has  in  its  possession,  among  its  old 
papers,  a  list  of  those  who  were  members  in  September,  1786,  and 
it  shows  who  were  fined  for  being  absent.  The  membership  was 
as  follows : 

James  Lyle,  Alexander  Banks,  Cornelius  Buck,  "Robert  Murray, 
James  Brander,  Horace  Austin,  Nathaniel  Frisby,  Francis  Bailey, 
Thomas  Banks,  Gardner  Fleming,  James  Hayes,  *David  Leitch, 
Luther  Stoddard,  William  Elliott,  Benj.  Elliot,  James  Cross,  John 
Murchie,  Obediah  Smith,  "William  Smith,  George  Yuille,  Jacob 
Bubsamen,  Moses  Treadway,  Daniel  Bell,  Stephen  Pankey,  William 
Fowler,  Bernard  Markham,  John  Harris,  Matt.  Cheatham,  John 
Haveningham,  James  Swain,  Andrew  Nicolson,  William  Ball, 
William  Edwards,  Daniel  Weisiger  and  Benjamin  Hatcher. 

In  December,  1786,  the  Lodge  had  a  big  supper  at  the  celebration 
of  the  Festival  of  St.  John  The  Evangelist.  The  stewards  pre- 
sented a  bill,  which  embraced  sundry  articles,  which  had  been 
partaken  of  by  the  brethren,  and  the  supper,  or  dinner,  whichever 
it  was,  having  been  prepared  by  Moses  Treadway,  who  received 
therefor,  6  pounds  and  19  shillings.  All  of  the  wine  was  not 
drank  on  this  occasion.  It  was  certified  that  Mr.  Cross,  Mr.  Flem- 
ing and  Mr.  Bubsamen  had  the  balance  of  the  wine ;  that  it  was  not 
drank  and  the  steward  was  therefore  given  a  credit  for  that  which 
he  did  not  receive. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  103 

v. 

The  Lodge  also  has  in  its  possession  the  names  of  the  brethren 
who  were  indebted  to  it  in  1793.  This  list  is  given  to  show  who 
were  the  members  of  the  Lodge  at  that  time,  the  records  having 
been  destroyed,  and  the  list  of  members  not  being  available  among 
the  records  of  the  Lodge.  The  brethren  who  owed  the  Lodge  fees, 
September  17,  1796,  were  as  follows: 

Luther  Stoddard,  Wm.  Elliot,  Moses  Treadway,  Daniel  Ball, 
Wm.  Smith,  Obediah  Smith,  George  Yuille,  William  Fowler,  John 
Harris,  Jr.,  Stephen  Pankey,  Bernard  Markham,  William  Bently, 
Matthews  Cheatham,  James  Hayes,  James  Swain,  John  Haven- 
ingham. 

On  the  third  of  December,  1850,  a  communication  was  received 
from  George  Watterston,  Secretary  of  the  Washington  National 
Monument  Society,  requesting  a  contribution.  This  circular  letter 
described  the  character  of  the  monument  to  be  built,  and  contains 
a  sketch  of  the  proposed  monument.  The  illustration  is  unlike  the 
present  Washington  Monument  at  the  National  Capitol. 

Thomas  Upshaw,  who  was  tiler  in  1809,  lived  in  Essex,  Decem- 
ber, 1786,  "when  he  published  an  advertisement  in  the  Virginia 
Independent  Chronical,  printed  by  Augustus  Davis,  near  the 
bridge"  (Eichmond  end  of  Mayo's  Bridge).  In  this  newspaper 
publication,  he  says: 

"These  considerations  lead  me  to  hope  that  my  petition  lately 
lodged  with  His  Excellency,  the  Governor  of  Virginia,  for  ap- 
pointment as  Commissary  of  Public  Stores  at  the  Point  of  Forks, 
will  meet  with  success." 

The  Governors  in  those  days  were  not  approached  on  such  mat- 
ters, as  they  are  now.  There  was  a  delicacy  about  the  matter  then, 
which  has  worn  away  with  the  lapse  of  time.  They  come  now 
sometimes  with  a  vociferousness  that  is  appalling. 

David  Patteson,  a  member  of  No.  14,  advertised  in  the  Virginia 
Independent  Chronical,  published  in  Pichmond,  March  26,  1778: 

"Proctor  stands  at  my  stable,  near  Manchester.  His  great  grand 
dam  was  imported  from  England  by  the  late  John  Bajdor,  Esq." 

James  Brander  was  clerk  of  the  Manchester  Turnpike  Company, 
in  1810.     He  rented  a  room  in  the  old  Masonic  Hall. 


104  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

"Summer  Hill,"  near  Whitby,  was  once  the  property  of  Dr. 
John  Haveningham.  It  was  located  on  James  Eiver,  four  miles 
below  Manchester,  and  was  advertised  for  sale,  July  31,  1810,  in 
the  Inquirer.  The  advertisement  stated  that  it  commanded  a 
pleasing  view  of  the  river.  This  Dr.  Haveningham,  who  was  a 
member  of  No.  14,  was  a  gentleman  of  culture.  His  estate  was  sold 
in  1810,  at  Zachariah  Brooks'  Tavern.  His  library  was  sold  in 
Richmond.  He  had  a  good  dwelling  near  Manchester,  five  out- 
houses and  a  large  wheat  field. 

John  Worsham,  "proprietor  of  the  field  at  the  Jocky  Club 
Eaces,  had  Broadrock  in  Chesterfield,  September,  1810.  When 
Worsham  was  absent  Major  Wm.  B.  Ball  acted  in  his  place.  This 
Broadrock  race  course  was  a  famous  racing  ground  in  its  day. 
Some  of  the  most  famous  horses  in  America  raced  there.  It  was 
kept  up  until  just  before  the  war,  and  some  racing  was  there  sub- 
sequent to  the  war.  William  Ball,  who  was  a  member  of  the 
Lodge  as  far  back  as  1793,  was  the  owner  of  the  high-bred  and  fast 
running  horse,  "Florizel."  He  stood  at  Broadrock.  In  the  Vir- 
ginia Patriot,  of  January  20,  1810,  appears  this  advertisement: 
"Florizel's  blood  and  performance  is  so  well  known,  his  owner 
has  thought  it  unnecessary  to  insert  it  in  his  advertisement;  his 
colts,  in  point  of  size  and  appearance,  are  equal  to  any  horses'  colts 
of  their  ages  ever  foaled  in  America." 

In  1810  there  appeared  an  advertisement  in  the  Inquirer  of 
Francis  S.  O'Eieley.  He  was  president  of  the  Manchester  Academy. 
This  was  an  institution  of  learning  of  some  note  at  that  period, 
and  was  patronized  by  members  of  our  Lodge. 

Dr.  John  Dove  married  Miss  Ege,  who  was  a  daughter  of  Jacob 
Ege,  who  built  the  old  stone  house  on  Main  Street,  known  as 
"Washington's  Headquarters,"  but  it  is  doubtful  that  Washington 
ever  had  any  headquarters  there.  When  the  house  was  built  Mr. 
Ege  had  a  clear  view  of  the  river,  as  it  was  the  first  building  in 
that  locality. 

The  colored  man  who  attended  the  Lodge  as  janitor  in  1803 
was  named  Aaron.  The  Lodge  paid  him,  for  six  nights,  1  pound 
and  16  shillings.  In  1803  Aaron  assisted  in  serving  one  gallon  of 
rum,  which  cost  8  shillings.  They  had  a  settlement  with  Aaron 
on  the  3rd  day  of  December,  1803. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  105 

In  1804  the  Lodge  paid  14  shillings  and  6  pence  for  one  loaf 
sugar  and  a  gallon  of  rum,  and  4  shillings  and  6  pence  they  paid 
for  beer ;  they  paid  for  one  gallon  of  French  brandy  at  12  shillings. 

Eev.  John  Dunn  was  Master  of  Manchester  Lodge,  No.  14,  in 
1798,  and  a  circular  letter  from  W.  H.  Fitzwilson,  Grand  Secre- 
tary, was  addressed  to  him  as  Master. 

David  .Leitch,  writing  in  a  communication  to  the  Lodge  in 
June,  1787,  asked  his  withdrawal,  stating  that  he  would  be  neces- 
sarily absent  from  Manchester  for  six  or  seven  months,  and  on 
return  did  not  know  that  he  would  continue  as  a  resident  here. 

In  1786  Thomas  Baillie,  who  was  Tiler  of  the  Lodge,  bought 
of  Donaldson  Stotts,  16  gallons  of  old  spirits  and  a  cask  for  the 
same.    The  bill  amounted  to  5  pounds  and  10  shillings. 

Henry  L.  Biscoe's  estate  was  sold  in  1810.  Peter  F.  Smith  was 
his  administrator.  He  had  considerable  property  in  Manchester, 
and  a  plantation  in  Powhatan  county. 

On  St.  John's  night,  December  27,  1880,  Brother  John  O'Brien 
presented  to  the  Lodge  the  apron  of  the  late  Brother  James  Hen- 
derson. It  was  framed  very  neatly.  On  motion,  the  thanks  of  the 
Lodge  were  tendered  to  Brother  O'Brien  for  the  same. 

At  the  meeting  in  October,  1880,  Brothers  fm.  E.  Weisiger, 
Wm.  Whitworth  and  J.  B.  Vaden,  were  appointed  to  examine  the 
old  records  of  the  Lodge.  They  classified  the  old  papers  and  docu- 
ments, and  evidently  thought,  at  the  time,  these  papers  and  records 
were  safely  put  away,  but  the  little  "hair  trunk"  did  not  prove  to 
be  a  safe  depository. 

In  March,  1786,  a  Bible  was  bought  for  4  shillings  and  6  pence. 
It  was  bought  from  Mr.  Blythe,  who  also  sold  the  Lodge  some  lamb 
skins.  The  Lodge  paid  for  these,  2  pounds,  7  shillings  and  6  pence. 
In  the  beginning  of  the  Lodge  lamb  skin  aprons  were  used.  Gard- 
ner Fleming  also  bought  jewels.  N"o  number  was  given.  He  paid 
4  pounds  and  10  shillings  for  these  jewels. 

On  June  16,  1786,  Jacob  Ege  was  paid  10  shillings  for  a  clasp 
for  the  Bible. 

The  Lodge  had  more  than  one  room  for  meeting  purposes  prior 
to  the  building  of  the  old  Masonic  Hall  on  Fifth  and  Bainbridge 
Streets,  probably  had  several  rooms.     One  bill   shows  that  four 


106  History  of  Manchester  Loduk. 

locks  were  ordered  and  paid  for,  and  rooms  were  mentioned  in 
the  rent  account. 

Harry  Randolph  was  second  sergeant  of  the  Manchester  Cavalry. 
He  summoned  the  cavalry  to  attend  the  muster  at  William  Lang- 
fores  (Beaufont  Spring),  April  and  June,  1810,  and  on  the  4th 
of  July  they  mustered  at  the  Creek  Warehouse  in  Manchester.  He 
was  invited  to  Masonic  celebrations. 

Thomas  Nicholson  was  a  stockholder  in  the  Manchester  Turn- 
pike at  the  time  of  his  death,  1810. 

Edward  D.  Digges  was  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Nicholson,  Heth 
&  Co.  This  company  was  composed  of  Andrew  Nicholson,  Harry 
Heth,  Beverley  Randolph  and  Edward  D.  Digges,  1810,  and  op- 
erated at  Midlothian. 

Richard  B.  Goode  was  one  of  the  executors  under  the  will  of  J  as. 
Lyle,  Sr.,  who  died  in  1812. 

A  complete  set  of  tools  of  a  fellowcraft  was  presented  to  the 
Lodge  December  27,  1867,  by  Andrew  Overby  and  Thomas  All- 
good,  who  were  voted  thanks  by  the  Lodge.  These  wo  iking  tools 
are  still  in  possession  of  the  Lodge. 

The  Lodge  received  an  invitation  June  21,  1871,  to  participate  in 
laying  the  corner  stone  of  the  Literary  Society  Hall,  of  Randolph  - 
Macon  College. 

On  January  15,  1870,  "on  motion  the  Junior  Warden  (J.  Robert 
Perdue),  was  appointed  a  committee  to  investigate  the  right  of 
property  in  a  Masonic  apron  said  to  be  in  Petersburg,  and  for- 
merly wrorn  by  the  Marquis  de  La  Fayette,  and  if  belonging  to  the 
Lodge,  to  endeavor  to  obtain  it."  The  committee  subsequently 
reported  that  the  apron  referred  to  was  private  property. 

The  Lodge  met  the  first  time  in  the  present  Masonic  Temple, 
Saturday  evening,  January  28,  1893.  There  were  seventy-eight 
brethren  present. 

On  March  9,  1895,  the  Lodge  received  an  official  visitation  from 
Right  Wor.  George  W.  Friend,  D.  D.  G.  M.,  of  District  No.  16. 
He  was  presented  to  the  East  and  received  with  Masonic  honors. 
Brother  Friend  was  one  of  the  most  enthusiastic  Masons  in  the 
state,  he  was  proficient  in  Masonic  lore  and  greatly  endeared  him- 
self to  the  members  of  No.  14,  whom  he  delighted  to  instruct  in 
Masonry. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  107 

On  August  3,  1895,  the  Lodge  received  a  communication  from 
Brother  John  W.  Arlington,  of  Reidsville,  N.  C,  stating  that  as 
he  had  changed  his  residence  he  tendered  his  resignation.  The 
Lodge  was  loth  to  accept  this  resignation,  as  Brother  Arrington 
has  begun  his  official  career  with  great  earnestness  and  enthusiasm. 

A  bazaar  was  held,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Lodge,  in  1896, 
and  the  report  from  the  committee  in  charge  thereof  showed  the 
net  profits  to  be  $829.04.  This  committee  reported  on  May 
23,  1896. 

On  July  22,  1899,  Wor.  Brother  D.  J.  Weisiger,  at  the  request 
of  Wor.  Brother  Thomas  W.  McCaw,  of  Richmond  Lodge,  No.  10, 
presented  the  Lodge  with  the  Past  Master's  apron  and  jewel  of  Most 
Wor.  Wm.  A.  Patteson,  once  Master  of  No.  14,  and  Grand  Master 
of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Masons  in  Virginia.  The  record  says: 
"The  apron  and  jewel  were  received  by  Wor.  Brother  John  H. 
Ingram  in  behalf  of  the  Lodge,  with  fitting  remarks." 

The  corner  stone  of  the  Manchester  High  School  Building, 
Eleventh  and  Bainb ridge  Streets,  was  laid  by  the  Lodge,  October 
11,  1907,  in  the  presence  of  a  large  concourse  of  people. 

Brother  0.  E.  Bridgwater  was  thanked  by  the  Lodge  November 
13,  1869,  "for  fixing  and  putting  in  a  state  of  preservation,  the 
old  records  of  the  Lodge."  This  doubtless  had  reference  to  old 
minute  books. 

Brother  R.  B.  W.  Beattie  was  presented  with  a  Past  Master's 
jewel  on  June  25,  1888,  when  the  celebration  of  the  Festival  of 
St.  John  The  Baptist  occurred. 

On  St.  John's  Night,  December  27,  1888,  Brother  A.  A.  Allen 
"was  presented  to  the  Lodge  and  saluted  accordingly  as  a  link 
binding  this  Lodge  to  its  past  history,  and  to  perpetuate  a  recog- 
nition of  his  being  the  oldest  member." 

On  the  17th  of  August,  1786,  the  Lodge  bought  a  "punch  tub" 
from  Samuel  Weisager  (Weisiger),  and  paid  7  shillings  and  6 
pence  for  it,  and  on  June  24,  1789,  "paid  Weisiger  for  a  cooling 
tub,  7  shillings  and  6  pence."  This  was  for  the  St.  Johns'  cele- 
bration, when  Brother  John  Murchie  loaned  glasses  to  the  Lodge, 
and  5  shillings  worth  of  them  were  broken.  The  Lodge  paid 
Brother  Murchie  for  these  broken  glasses  at  the  September  meet- 


108  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

ing,  in  1789.  The  bills  for  the  June  meeting,  1789  (St.  John's 
night),  show  that  no  "spirits"  were  purchased,  "as  there  was 
sufficient  on  hand  already  paid  for." 

On  June  16,  1786,  Gardner  Fleming  (Tiler)  paid  4  shillings 
and  6  pence  to  "a  carpenter  for  fixing  four  locks."  This  bill  also 
shows  that  5  shillings  and  6  pence  were  paid  for  cleaning  out  the 
rooms.  There  was  a  note  on  the  bill  stating  that  Mr.  Railey 
"agreed  to  pay  10  shillings."  The  Lodge  rented  from  Mr.  Railey, 
whose  name  was  pronounced  Riley,  if  one  is  to  judge  from  the 
way  it  was  often  written  by  members  of  the  Lodge. 

The  first  jewels  used  by  the  Master,  Senior  and  Junior  Wardens 
of  the  Lodge,  were  made  by  Jacob  Ege,  of  Richmond.  They  were 
bought  by  Gardner  Fleming,  the  first  Tiler  of  the  Lodge,  and 
paid  for  on  the  3rd  of  March,  1786.  the  price  paid  was  1  pound  and 
10  shillings.  There  were  other  jewels  purchased  on  the  2nd  of 
March,  by  Brother  Fleming,  from  Mr.  Ege,  and  for  these  4  pounds 
and  10  shillings  were  paid. 

William  McKennon,  who  was  Secretary  of  the  Lodge  during  the 
time  William  Tatham,  elsewhere  referred  to,  was  a  member,  kept 
a  store  house  in  Manchester.  According  to  the  old  records  at 
Chesterfield  court  house,  "Bobb,  a  negro  belonging  to  Benjamin 
Hatcher,  broke  into  his  store  and  stole  thirty  pounds,  the  prop- 
erty of  Messrs.  Smith  &  Redwood."  For  this  offence  "he  was 
sentenced  to  be  hung.  Afterwards  he  was  a  subject  for  mercy," 
and  Bobb  was  allowed  to  live.  Benjamin  Hatcher  was  one  of  the 
first  members  of  the  Lodge,  and  lived  in  the  old  house  now  stand- 
ing on  Seventh  Street,  owned  and  occupied  by  the  late  Dr.  Edgar 
Archer. 

The  person  who  cleaned  out  the  Lodge  and  kept  the  floors  scoured 
and  the  room  dusted,  from  1786  to  1790,  was  a  slave,  named 
"Scrub."  This  name  appears  to  have  been  given  him  by  the 
members  of  the  Lodge.  M.  Gordon,  the  Steward,  in  arranging 
his  accounts  would  always  remember  "Scrub." 

In  June,  1787,  the  Lodge  bought  blue  ribbon  for  the  Lodge 
jewels.  This  ribbon  was  bought  by  Mr.  James  Lvle,  from  George 
Yuille  &  Co. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  109 

In  Memoriam. 

Looking  over  the  records  of  120  years,  glancing,  as  it  were, 
"across  the  death  chasm  and  howling  kingdoms  of  decay,"  reference 
frequently  occurs  to  the  death  of  some  brother.  The  Lodge  meets, 
and  the  Master  tells  the  brethren  that  they  have  met  to  pay  the 
last  tribute  of  respect  to  a  deceased  brother.  A  committee  is  ap- 
pointed" to  prepare  suitable  resolutions  to  go  upon  the  records,  and 
to  be  sent  to  the  family  of  the  deceased.  The  Lodge  then  forms  in 
procession  and  marches  to  where  the  deceased  brother  lived.  Some- 
times the  funeral  took  place  at  the  home,  and  sometimes  at  "the 
church."  There  was  only  one  church  in  Manchester  prior  to  1836, 
and  this  was  the  Old  Plank  Church  (Methodist  Meeting  House), 
which  stood  on  the  west  corner  of  Tenth  and  Perry  Streets.  In- 
variably, in  the  olden  times,  there  was  a  sermon  preached,  either 
at  the  home  or  at  the  church.  The  virtues  of  the  dead  were  told 
to  the  living,  and  the  living  were  abjured  to  emulate  the  good  deeds 
of  the  dead.  The  preachers  were  men  of  piety,  and  some  "seemed 
surely  called  of  God."  At  these  mournful  services  they  read,  then 
as  they  read  now,  the  prayer  of  Moses,  the  Man  of  God: 

"Lord,  thou  hast  been  our  dwelling  place  from  all  genera- 
tions," &c. 

The  necrology  since  1871,  as  gathered  from  the  minutes  of  the 
Lodge,  here  follows,  showing  the  dates  of  the  funeral : 

Brother  James  H.  Murrill,  late  of  Union  Lodge,  No.  60,  Balti- 
more, Md.,  was  buried  January  3,  1871. 

The  funeral  of  Henry  Fitzgerald,  Sr.,  Tiler  of  the  Lodge,  took 
place  in  1S71.     He  was  buried  in  Hollywood. 

A  tribute  to  the  memory  of  Brother  Emanuel  Semon  was  spread 
upon  the  records  of  the  Lodge,  August  26,  1871. 

On  December  3,  1871,  Brother  Alexander  Craig  was  buried,  with 
Masonic  honors.    He  was  in  the  64th  year  of  his  age. 

The  Lodge  was  called  December  12,  1871,  to  pay  the  last  sad 
tribute  of  respect  to  the  memory  of  Brother  James  Henry  Weisiger, 
of  South  Memphis  Lodge,  Tennessee.  Rev.  W.  H.  Christian,  of 
the  Methodist  Church,  conducted  the  services,  and  the  remains 
were  interred  in  the  Old  Patteson  Burying  Ground,  near  Granite, 
in  Chesterfield  county. 


110  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

On  January  1,  1872,  the  Lodge  gave  Masonic  burial  to  Brother 
William  A.  Jones,  aged  27  years  and  11  months.  The  funeral  took 
place  from  the  Episcopal  Church,  Twelfth  and  Decatur  Streets, 
and  the  remains  were  taken  to  Hollywood  Cemetery.  Rev.  Brother 
James  Hammond,  Chaplain  of  the  Lodge,  conducted  the  funeral 
services. 

On  April  29,  1873,  Brother  Frederick  W.  Bedford.  The  funeral 
took  place  from  the  Methodist  Church,  and  the  remains  were  in- 
terred in  Hollywood.  Rev.  Dr.  John  E.  Edwards  conducted  the 
services.  Brother  Redford  was  a  citizen  of  prominence  in  the 
community,  and  the  Lodge  placed  on  record  a  beautiful  tribute 
to  his  memory,  prepared  by  a  committee,  consisting  of  Brothers 
H.  W.  Bransford,  0.  B.  Sims  and  S.  C.  Weisiger. 

September  14,  1874,  Brother  T.  J.  Hancock,  who  died  the  day 
before,  aged  51  years.  The  remains  were  interred  in  the  family 
burying  ground,  near  Providence  Church,  in  Chesterfield  county. 

On  October  21,  1875,  Brother  Erasmus  Gary.  The  funeral  ser- 
vices were  conducted  by  Rev.  William  McGee,  then  pastor  of  the 
Manchester  Methodist  Church.  The  body  was  interred  in  Holly- 
wood. Brother  Gary  was  the  head  of  the  firm  of  Gary  Brothers, 
tobacco  manufacturers,  whose  factory  stood  on  Sixth,  between  Bain- 
bridge  and  Porter  Streets.  He  married  a  daughter  of  Beverly 
Sizer,  who  kept  a  tavern  on  the  northwest  corner  of  Fifth  and  Hull 
Streets,  where  the  brethren  of  Old  Fourteen  oft  partook  of  refresh- 
ments on  the  festivals  of  the  Saint  John. 

On  August  13,  1876,  Brother  Edward  0.  Goode,  of  Keysville 
Lodge,  No.  154.  The  body  was  met  at  the  train  and  conveyed  to 
the  Bainbridge  Street  Baptist  Church,  where  the  funeral  services 
were  conducted  by  the  pastor,  Rev.  Dr.  David  B.  Winfree.  The 
interment  was  at  Maury  Cemetery. 

There  was  a  called  communication  on  the  20th  of  December, 
1876,  "to  pay  the  last  tribute  of  respect  to  the  memory  of  our 
deceased  brother,  Henry  M.  Vaden."  The  funeral  took  place  from 
the  Methodist  Church,  and  the  remains  were  interred  in  Maury 
Cemetery.  Rev.  George  C.  Vanderslice  conducted  the  services. 
The  deceased  was  a  son  of  Brother  Joseph  B.  Vaden,  Secretary  of 
the  Lodge  for  many  years,  and  Clerk  of  the  City  Council  of  Man- 
chester, and  Auditor  of  the  City. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  Ill 

The  Lodge  was  called  December  25  and  27,  1878,  in  consequence 
of  the  death  of  Wor.  John  H.  Hatcher,  whose  funeral  took  place 
on  the  Festival  of  St.  John  The  Evangelist.  Brother  Hatcher 
died  at  his  home,  on  Tenth  and  Hull  Streets,  opposite  the  Town 
Hall,  and  his  funeral  took  place  from  the  Methodist  Church.  Eev. 
George  C.  Vanderslice  officiated.  His  remains  were  interred  in 
Hollywood.  An  affectionate  tribute  to  his  memory  appears  in  the 
record  of  December  27, 1878,  at  which  time  eulogies  were  delivered 
by  Brothers  W.  E.  Weisiger,  James  D.  Craig,  T.  W.  Crow,  H. 
Fitzgerald,  D.  J.  Weisiger,  A.  Eoyall,  S.  D.  Dyer,  William  I. 
Clopton  and  T.  B.  Sims.  Brother  Hatcher's  father  lived  in  the 
house  on  Seventh  Street,  between  Hull  and  Bainbridge,  belonging 
to  Dr.  Archer's  estate. 

On  February  1,  1880,  Wor.  H.  W.  Bransford,  whose  body  was 
taken  to  Shirley,  on  the  James  Eiver,  for  interment.  His  wife, 
who  is  still  living,  was  a  Miss  Carter,  of  Shirley.  Brother  Brans- 
ford  was  Master  of  the  Lodge  at  the  time  of  his  death.  Brother 
Augustine  Eoyall  was  elected  Master  for  the  remainder  of  the  term. 

On  July  G,  1880,  Brother  F.  J.  Sampson,  who  died  on  the  4th 
of  July.  The  funeral  took  place  from  the  Manchester  Presbyterian 
Church.  Eev.  Wm.  A.  Campbell,  pastor,  officiating.  The  inter- 
ment was  at  Maury  Cemetery. 

January  11,  1881,  Brother  Michael  O'Donnell,  who  was  killed 
near  Lexington.  N".  C,  by  running  into  a  land  slide  on  the  7th  of 
January.  Brother  O'Donnell  married  a  daughter  of  Brother  T. 
W.  Crow,  and  died  at  the  age  of  30  years.  The  funeral  took  place 
from  the  Methodist  Church,  and  the  body  was  buried  at  Maury 
Cemetery.  He  was  a  locomotive  engineer,  and  the  tombstone,  made 
of  Virginia  granite,  standing  at  the  head  of  his  grave  bears  a 
unique  inscription. 

On  July  31,  1881,  Allen  L.  Bradley.  Eesolutions  were  adopted, 
expressing  the  loss  the  Lodge  had  sustained  in  his  death. 

November  18,  1881,  Brother  Alexander  Baxter,  who  died  on  the 
16th,  age  70  years,  4  months  and  10  days.  The  funeral  took  place 
from  the  Manchester  Presbyterian  Church,  and  the  remains  were 
buried  in  Hollywood. 

March  20,  1882,  Brother  T.  J.  Borum.  Funeral  from  the  Bain- 
bridge Street  Baptist  Church.    Buried  in  Maury  Cemetery. 


112  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

On  October  5,  1882,  Brother  James  H.  Moody,  of  Lodge  103, 
in  the  jurisdiction  of  Texas.  The  deceased  was  also  High  Priest 
of  Chapter  43,  of  Texas.  His  remains  were  interred  in  the  old 
family  burying  ground,  near  the  Providence  Church,  in  Chester- 
field county.  The  record  says:  "He  left  Virginia  in  early  man- 
hood to  seek  his  fortune  in  Texas,  and  when  the  sands  of  his  life 
nearly  ran  out  he  returned  to  his  native  county  to  die." 

November  21,  1882,  Wor.  Alexander  Fitzgerald.  Funeral  from 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  Eev.  Wm.  A.  Campbell  officiating.  In- 
terment in  Maury  Cemetery. 

December  30,  1882,  Brother  J.  W.  Bronaugh,  Sr.,  father  of  City 
Treasurer  Bronaugh.  The  funeral  took  place  from  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  Eev.  W.  A.  Campbell  officiating.  Interment  was  at 
Hollywood.     The  deceased  was  77  years  of  age 

October  11,  1883,  Brother  Frederick  Wagner.  Funeral  from 
the  Central  Methodist  Church,  Eev.  E.  P.  Wilson,  pastor,  conduct- 
ing the  services.    Interment  at  Maury  Cemetery. 

October  20,  1883,  Brother  I.  C.  Wells,  who  died  at  his  home  in 
Manchester,  aged  58  years.  His  funeral  took  place  from  the 
Methodist  Church,  Eev.  E.  P.  Wilson  officiating,  and  his  body  was 
buried  in  Maury  Cemetery. 

On  July  28,  1884,  Wor.  W.  E.  Weisiger  was  buried,  with  Masonic 
honors.  He  died  at  his  home  on  Decatur  Street,  between  Eleventh 
and  Twelfth,  aged  57  years.  His  funeral  took  place  from  the 
Methodist  Church,  Eev.  W.  H.  Christian,  pastor,  and  the  interment 
was  at  Maury  Cemetery.  A  committee,  consisting  of  Brothers 
James  D.  Craig,  William  I.  Clopton,  Henry  Fitzgerald  and  A.  A. 
Allen,  were  appointed  to  obtain  a  picture  of  Dr.  Weisiger,  to  be 
placed  in  the  Lodge  room.  The  Lodge  adopted  resolutions  in 
respect  to  his  memory,  and  these  resolutions  are  in  the  handwriting 
of  Eight  Wor.  William  I.  Clopton. 

December  3,  1884,  Brother  J.  H.  Phillips,  Staunton  Lodge,  No. 
13,  was  buried  by  No.  14.  Eev.  W.  H.  Christian,  Methodist 
Church,  officiating.     Interment  at  Maury  Cemetery. 

On  February  13,  1886,  the  committee  made  their  report  in 
reference  to  the  death  of  Brother  Eobert  Marks. 

At  a  meeting  held  April  2,  1888,  a  report  on  the  death  of  Broth- 
er Peyton  Johnston  was  adopted:     "For  many  years  his  familiar 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  113 

V 

form  and  cheerful  face  have  been  welcomed  in  our  Lodge  meetings, 
and  festivals.  Since  1845  he  has  been  a  frequent  visitor,  having 
first  had  his  membership  here  in  that  year.  At  all  times  when 
present  with  us  his  presence  added  pleasure  to  our  meetings.  As  a 
link  binding  us  to  the  past,  his  words  of  wisdom,  and  bright 
reminiscences  have  always  been  treasured  in  the  hearts  of  the 
brethren..  Particularly  was  his  presence  enjoyed  by  all  on  the  occa- 
sion of  our  centennial.  It  seemed  that  he  was  preserved  for  that 
occasion  as  the  crowning  joy  of  his  Masonic  life." 

April  6,  1887,  Brother  J.  L.  Sampson.  Funeral  from  the  Pres- 
byterian Church.  Eev.  T.  P.  Epes,  of  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
and  Rev.  W.  H.  Christian,  of  the  Methodist  Church,  officiating. 
Interment  at  Maury  Cemetery. 

Wor.  Brother  S.  C.  Dyer  was  given  Masonic  burial  April  11, 
1888.  Funeral  from  Bainbridge  Street  Baptist  Church.  The  re- 
mains were  interred  in  Maury  Cemetery. 

Brother  A.  G.  Elam  died  in  Richmond  and  was  buried  Decem- 
ber 15,  1888,  by  a  committee  from  No.  14.  He  belonged  to  Mid- 
lothian Lodge. 

Brother  R.  C.  Shackleton  died  April  26th,  aged  46  years,  and 
was  given  Masonic  burial  May  27th,  1890. 

Brother  A.  A.  Allen  died  April  22,  1891,  aged  83  years.  His 
funeral  took  place  from  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  his  remains 
were  interred  in  Hollywood. 

The  Lodge  was  called  November  22,  1891,  to  pay  the  last  sad 
tribute  to  the  memory  of  Brother  S.  L.  Ingram.  The  funeral  took 
place  from  the  Meade  Memorial  Church,  Rev.  John  J.  Clopton 
officiating,  and  the  remains  were  buried  at  Maury  Cemetery.  Dr. 
Ingram  was  the  father  of  Wor.  Brother  John  H.  Ingram,  and  Broth- 
er Lawrence  Ingram. 

Brother  John  Perry  died  March  24,  1S92,  and  was  buried  with 
Masonic  honors  on  March  26th.  He  was  75  years  of  age,  and  his 
funeral  took  place  from  Central  Methodist  Church,  Rev.  Brother 
W.  C.  Vaden  officiating.  His  remains  were  buried  in  Maury  Ceme- 
tery. Brother  Perry  was  a  juror  in  the  trial  of  Thomas  Ritchie 
for  killing  John  Hampden  Pleasants,  the  great  Whig  editor,  in  a 
duel  fought  on  the  canal  bank,  near  the  Manchester  end  of  the 
Southern  Railroad  bridge. 


114  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

Brother  M.  R.  Lloyd  died  Saturday,  August  13,  1892,  aged  47 
years.    Funeral  August  15.    Interment  at  Hollywood. 

Brother  John  J.  Beville  was  given  Masonic  burial  October  29, 
1892.  His  funeral  was  from  the  Central  Methodist  Church.  In- 
terment was  at  Maury  Cemetery. 

Brother  George  T.  Blanton  died  at  Blackstone,  Va.,  September 
20,  1893,  aged  69  years. 

Brother  William  Y.  Moles  died  February  20,  1894,  and  was 
buried  at  Maury  Cemetery. 

Wor.  Brother  William  Bradley  died  April  6,  1894,  aged  74 
years.  He  was  buried  in  Hollywood.  The  funeral  was  from  the 
Bainbridge  Street  Baptist  Church. 

Brother  William  D.  Craig  died  Friday  morning,  April  20,  1894, 
aged  53  years.  Funeral  from  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Interment 
at  Hollywood.  He  was  the  father  of  Brother  Charles  R,  Craig, 
formerly  Secretary  of  No.  14. 

The  death  of  Brother  J.  B.  Anderson  occurred  June  16,  1894, 
aged  55  years.     Burial  at  Maury  Cemetery. 

Lodge  was  called  Wednesday  afternoon,  January  16,  1895,  to 
pay  the  last  sad  tribute  of  respect  to  the  memory  of  Brother  Joseph 
B.  Vaden,  who  died  on  the  14th  of  January,  aged  78  years.  "The 
Lodge  formed  and  marched  to  the  residence  of  our  deceased  brother, 
on  Decatur,  between  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Streets;  thence  to 
Central  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  where  services  were  con- 
ducted by  Rev.  Brother  W.  W.  Lear,  thence  to  Maury  Cemetery, 
where  the  remains  were  laid  to  rest  with  Masonic  honors."  Brother 
Vaden  was  Secretary  of  the  Lodge  for  a  number  of  years,  and  as- 
sisted in  classifying  the  old  records  of  the  Lodge  when  they  were 
put  away  in  the  little  hair  trunk  belonging  to  the  Lodge.  He  was 
Auditor  of  the  City  of  Manchester,  and  had  been  a  resident  of  the 
city  for  a  number  of  years.  He  was  twice  married,  one  of  the 
children  by  his  second  marriage  being  Mr.  Clarence  Vaden,  cashier 
of  the  Bank  of  Manchester. 

On  October  21,  1897,  Brother  Thomas  C.  Campbell,  of  Howard 
Lodge,  of  Elkridge  Landing,  Maryland,  was  buried  with  Masonic 
honors  by  this  Lodge. 

November  13,  1898,  Brother  Archibald  Gary  Gibbs,  who  died 
Saturday,  November  13,  aged  68  years.     Funeral  from  Bainbridge 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  115 

Street  Baptist  Church.     Services  were  conducted  by  Rev.  Brother 
L.  R.  Thornhill.    Interment  in  Maury  Cemetery. 

Brother  James  W.  Craig  died  Thursday,  March  2,  1898,  aged 
58  years.  His  funeral  took  place  from  the  residence,  corner  Fif- 
teenth and  Perry  Streets;  the  services  being  conducted  by  the 
Chaplain,  Rev.  Brother  C.  1ST.  Van  Houten.  The  body  was  laid  to 
rest  in  Maury  Cemetery,  with  Masonic  honors. 

On  February  10,  1900,  the  Lodge  was  called  to  pay  the  last  trib- 
ute of  respect  to  Wor.  Brother  Henry  Fitzgerald,  who  died  on 
February  10,  1900.  The  record  says  "the  Lodge  marched  to  the 
late  residence  of  our  deceased  brother,  corner  Fifth  and  Hull 
Streets;  thence  to  the  Presbyterian  Church,  corner  Tenth  and 
Porter  Streets,  thence  to  Hollywood  Cemetery,  Richmond,  where 
the  body  was  laid  to  rest  with  Masonic  honors. 

June  27,  1901,  Brother  D.  M.  Wiltshire.  Funeral  from  the 
Bainbridge  Street  Baptist  Church.  The  remains  were  taken  to 
Macon,  Powhatan  county,  for  burial. 

Brother  James  D.  Craig,  died  November  11,  1901,  and  was 
given  Masonic  burial  November  12.  1901.  The  remains  were  taken 
to  Hollywood  for  interment. 

The  death  of  Brother  Nathan  A.  Eubank  occurred  October  2, 
1902.  He  was  in  the  77th  year  of  his  age,  and  had  been  a  member 
of  the  Lodge  for  many  years.  His  funeral  took  place  from  the 
Bainbridge  Street  Baptist  Church,  and  he  was  buried  in  Maury 
Cemetery. 

The  death  of  Brother  William  Whitworth  occurred  December 
30,  1903.  He  was  the  oldest  member  of  the  Lodge,  being  at  the 
time  of  his  death  83  years  of  age.  His  funeral  took  place  from, 
the  Presbyterian  Church,  the  services  being  conducted  by  Rev. 
J.  J.  Fix  and  Rev.  Brother  C.  N.  Van  Houton.  The  interment 
was  at  Hollywood. 

Wor.  Brother  W.  T.  Williamson  died  March  13,  1903.  His 
funeral  took  place  from  Bainbridge  Street  Baptist  Church,  the 
services  being  conducted  by  Rev.  Mr.  Baldy.  Interment  in  Maury 
Cemetery. 

June  4,  1903,  Right  Wor.  Joseph  I.  Galloway,  District  Deputy 
Grand  Master  of  this  District.  The  funeral  took  place  from  the 
Central  Methodist  Church,  the  services  being  conducted  bv  Rev. 


116  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

Mr.  Chandler,  assisted  by  Eev.  Brother  Asa  Driscoll.  Interment  at 
Maury  Cemetery. 

The  Lodge  received  a  communication  from  Grand  Master  Ed- 
ward N.  Eubank,  expressing  deep  regret  at  the  death  of  Right 
Wor.  Brother  Galloway. 

Brother  W.  E.  Harris  died  October  25,  1903,  and  was  buried 
at  Maury  Cemetery  with  Masonic  honors. 

Brother  John  H.  Foster  was  given  a  Masonic  burial  April  1, 
1904.  He  died  at  the  age  of  69  years.  The  funeral  took  place 
from  Laurel  Street  Methodist  Church,  in  Richmond,  and  the 
burial  was  in  Maury  Cemetery. 

The   death   of  Brother  John   O'Brien   occurred   November   29, 

1906.  Brother  O'Brien  had  been  a  member  of  the  Lodge  for  many 
years  and  repeatedly  held  the  position  as  trustee.  He  took  great 
interest  in  the  history  of  the  Lodge  and  everything  pertaining  to 
its  welfare.  His  funeral  took  place  from  the  Meade  Memorial 
Church,  and  his  remains  were  buried  with  Masonic  honors,  in 
Maury  Cemetery. 

Brother  Mathew  H.  Jewett  was  given  Masonic  burial  July  30, 

1907.  Brother  Jewett  had  been  Tiler  of  the  Lodge  for  several 
years.     He  died  at  a  ripe  age. 

The  funeral  of  James  T.  Weisiger  took  place  September  14, 
1866.  The  record  says :  "A  procession  was  formed  and  the  Lodge 
marched  to  the  suburbs  of  the  town,  and  there  met  the  remains 
and  attended  them  to  the  Methodist  Church,  from  thence  to  the 
grave. 

Brother  R.  L.  Godsey  was  buried  April  25,  1886.  He  was  a 
member  of  Vernon  Lodge,  No.  18,  of  News  Ferry,  Virginia. 

The  funeral  of  Brother  C.  C.  Crutchfield,  who  died  July  26, 
1866,  was  attended  by  the  Lodge.  Rev.  Thomas  Reynolds  con- 
ducted the  services  from  Bainbridge  Street  Church,  and  the  inter- 
ment was  in  Maury  Cemetery. 

The  Lodge  attended  the  funeral  of  Brother  James  Rogers,  Feb- 
ruary 23,  1868.  He  died  on  the  21st  of  February,  aged  43  years. 
Rev.  J.  P.  Garland,  chaplain  of  the  Lodge,  conducted  the  services, 
and  the  burial  was  in  Hillywood. 

Brother  James  W.  Cheatham  was  given  a  Masonic  burial  May 
14,  1869.     He  died  on  the  12th  of  May,  aged  28  years.     Funeral 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  117 

was  held  from  Methodist  Church,  Chaplain  J.  P.  Garland  conduct- 
ing the  services. 

The  funeral  of  E.  Y.  Condrey  took  place  May  30,  1867. 

Brother  Charles  H.  Rhodes  was  given  Masonic  burial  September 
7,  1867. 

Thomas  "E.  Sims  was  given  Masonic  burial  October  4,  1868. 
He  was  in"  his  fiftieth  year,  and  his  fimeral  took  place  from  the 
residence,  Sixth  and  Porter  Streets. 

Brother  Emmett  Vaden  was  buried  February  28,  1870,  aged 
32  years.  Funeral  took  place  from  Methodist  Church,  and  his 
remains  were  intered  in  Shockoe  Cemetery,  in  Richmond.  Chap- 
lains F.  J.  Boggs  and  J.  P.  Garland  conducted  the  services. 

Funeral  of  Oscar  E.  Bridgewater  took  place  March  27,  1870, 
from  the  Methodist  Church.  Chaplain  J.  P.  Garland  officiating. 
Burial  was  in  Hollywood. 

Sheepskins. 

Anticipating  the  need  of  aprons,  Mr.  Gardner  Fleming,  in  1786, 
purchased  "19  white  sheepskins"  from  Witt  Carter,  Jr.,  of  Rich- 
mond. This  purchase  was  made  24  days  before  dispensation  had 
been  granted  to  organize  a  Masonic  Lodge  in  Manchester.  Mr. 
Fleming  was  the  man  who  looked  after  many  of  the  preliminaries 
previous  to  the  organization  of  the  Lodge.  He  paid  2  pounds,  7 
shillings  and  6  pence  for  19  white  sheepskins. 

Printed  Summons. 

The  first  summons  were  ordered  by  the  Lodge,  April,  1786. 
1600  were  printed,  and  J.  Hayes  &  Co.,  of  Richmond,  did  the 
printing. 

The  Lodge  had  printed  summons  as  far  back  as  September  20, 
1788.  Thomas  Nicolson  was  the  printer,  and  he  was  paid  15  shill- 
ings for  "three  quires  of  summonses." 

Manchester  Court  House. 

The  corner  stone  of  Manchester  Court  House  was  laid  March 
14,  1871.    T.  W.  Crow  was  Worshipful  Master  of  the  Lodge.    Many 


118  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

articles  were  deposited  in  the  corner  stone  box,  among  them  the  old 
seal  of  the  town  of  Manchester,  "cancelled",  a  new  one  having  been 
purchased.  There  was  an  abundance  of  literature,  including  news- 
papers and  pamphlets,  deposited  in  the  box. 

Confederate  Monument   in   Oakwood. 

On  April  29,  1871,  the  Lodge  received  an  invitation  to  partici- 
pate with  Lodge  No.  19,  of  Richmond,  in  laying  the  corner  stone 
of  the  Confederate  Monument,  in  Oakwood. 

Free  Bridge  Corner  Stone. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  James  River  Free  Bridge  was  laid  May 
22,  1871,  Wor.  W.  R.  Weisiger  was  Chief  Marshal.  The  Lodge 
marched  in  procession,  over  Mayo's  Bridge  to  Richmond,  where 
they  met  citizens  and  brethren,  including  Grand  Master  Owens. 
It  was  proposed  to  lay  the  stone  on  the  4th  of  May,  and  the  cop- 
per plate,  engraved  for  the  occasion  and  placed  in  the  stone,  said : 
"This  corner  stone  of  the  James  River  Bridge  was  laid  by  Man- 
chester Lodge,  No.  14,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  on  the  4th  of  May,  A.  L. 
5871,  A.  D.  1871."  The  inscription  had  been  prepared  and  could 
not  be  corrected.  It  was  a  big  day  in  Manchester.  Many  articles 
were  placed  in  the  box.  Most  Wor.  B.  R.  Wellford  delivered  an 
address. 

Corner  Stone  Central  Methodist  Church. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  Central  Methodist  Church,  corner 
Thirteenth  and  Porter  Streets,  was  laid  Wednesday  afternoon, 
January  24,  1900,  Brother  W.  J.  Morrisette  was  then  Master  of 
the  Lodge.  The  following  articles  were  deposited  in  the  box: 
"Holy  Bible,  Methodist  Hymn  Book,  M.  E.  Church  South  Dis- 
cipline, roll  of  members  of  Central  M.  E.  Church  South,  roll  of 
Sunday  School,  roll  and  records  of  the  Christian  Band,  photograph 
of  Rev.  W.  H.  Christian,  roll  and  records  New  Church  Society, 
copy  Gospel  of  St.  John,  Christian  Advocate,  National  Christian 
Advocate,  Richmond  Southern  M.  E.  Recorder,  Times,  Dispatch, 
Leader,  News,  Busy  Bee,  Society  Roll,  Warrock-Richardson  Alma- 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  119 

nac,  1900;  copy  of  100  years  of  Methodism  in  Richmond,  Nail  and 
Wood  from  Old  Plank  Church,  one  cent  of  1900,  and  other  coins : 
officers  and  members  of  Manchester  Lodge,  ISTo.  14;  section  of 
Spanish  Rifle  used  in  Spanish  War." 

Presbyterian   Church   Corner   Stone. 

p 

The  Lodge  was  called,  June  3,  1871,  to  lay  the  corner  stone  of 
Manchester  Presbyterian  Church,  corner  Tenth  and  Porter  Streets. 
The  contents  of  the  box  were  as  follows:  A  sketch  of  the  early 
history  of  Presbyterianism  in  Manchester,  an  account  of  the  or- 
ganization of  the  church,  contribution  from  Mrs.  E.  Jane  Baird. 
Addresses  were  delivered  by  Rev.  Dr.  Preston,  of  Richmond,  and 
Rev.  Dr.  John  E.  Edwards,  of  the  Methodist  conference. 

Brother  Jacob  Rubsamen's  Will. 

Brother  Jacob  Rubsamen  (sometimes  spelled  Rubsimen)  and 
Robert  Murray  were  the  first  representatives  from  No.  14  to  the 
Grand  Lodge.  They  were  present  at  the  meeting  of  the  Grand 
Lodge,  October  27,  1786.  Brother  Rubsamen  was  the  proprietor  of 
a  tobacco  warehouse  in  Manchester,  and  his  will,  on  record  at  the 
Chesterfield  Court  House,  begins  as  follows: 

"Philadelphia,  March  22,  1792. 

"Dear  Gentlemen : — The  gout  is  getting  in  my  head  fast,  and  I 
think  will  kill  me  soon.  I  therefore  make  my  will,  having  destroyed 
that  I  had  made  before. 

"I  appoint  you,  Mr.  James  Lyle,  and  you,  Doct.  McKenzie,  and 
you,  Thomas  Banks,  my  executors,  and  bequeath  you  all  my  real 
and  personal  estate  whatever  in  trust." 

He  left  property  to  his  brother  Daniel,  "who  lives  twelve  leagues 
from  Frankfort,  and  in  the  town  of  Giesson." 

Brother  Rubsamen,  it  seems,  had  a  "fallingout"  with  his  physi- 
cian, as  the  will  reads:  "Curry,  the  Quack  Doctor,  has  an  account 
against  me,  but  as  it  is  a  rascally  and  most  unjust  one,  he  must 
sue  you,  and  I  hope  you  will  cast  him  in  5 — 6  at  least."  This 
probably  meant  5  shillings  and  6  pence,  and  perhaps  was  the  usual 


120  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

cost  against  the  party  losing  in  a  law  suit.  The  Curry  referred  to 
was  Dr.  James  Curry,  of  Eichmond,  and  one  of  the  leading  physi- 
cians of  that  day.  His  friend,  Dr.  James  McClung,  of  Eichmond, 
made  an  offset  to  the  record  made  by  Brother  Eubsamen,  and  filed 
at  Chesterfield  Court  House,  "testimonials  from  a  British  Uni- 
versity as  proof  that  Dr.  Curry  was  a  physician  regularly  educated." 

A  Toast  to  Manchester  Lodge,  No.  14,  on  St.  John's  Night, 

December  27,  1906. 

Far,  far  from  home,  'neath  Georgia  skies, 
Within  this  heart  of  mine, 
There  comes  a  memory  sweet  and  dear 
Of  days  of  Auld  Lang  Syne. 

I  seem  to  gather  once  again 
Within  the  Lodge  room  bright, 
And  grasp  the  hands  of  brethren  dear, 
On  good  old  St,  John's  Night. 

My  eyes  grow  dim  with  unshed  tears, 
As  memory  backward  turns 
To  happy  days  of  Auld  Lang  Syne, 
My  heart  within  me  burns. 

With  merry  jest  and  happy  song 
The  brethren  all  sat  down, 
To  eat  the  feast  of  all  things  good, 
And  "  'possum"  fat  and  brown. 

Now  here's  a  toast  to  those  sweet  days 
Whose  memory  still  shall  shine, 
As  ever  rolling  years  go  by, 
Those  days  of  Auld  Lang  Syne. 

And  here's  a  toast  to  loved  ones  gone, 
Before  us — how  I  pine — 
To  gather  with  you  as  you  drink 
For  the  sake  of  Auld  Lang  Syne. 


History  or  Manchester  Lodge.  121 

V 

And  here's  a  toast  to  each  of  you, 
To-night — Oh  !  brethren  mine, — 
Who  gather  on  good  St.  John's  Night, 
And  think  of  Auld  Lang  Syne. 

Forget  me  not,  my  brethren  dear, 
,     In  rain,  or  heat,  or  shine; 

But  think  of  me  with  loving  hearts, 
For  the  sake  of  Auld  Lang  Syne. 

David  J.  Weisiger,  Atlanta,  Ga. 

Dr.  William  A.  Patteson. 

[Eiehmond  Dispatch,  May  12,  1870,  Editorial.] 

This  city  loses  one  of  its  most  valuable  as  well  as  best  citizens 
in  the  death  of  Dr.  William  A.  Patteson,  who  died  yesterday 
morning. 

He  was  a  native  of  Chesterfield  count)'',  and  was  in  the  75th 
year  at  the  time  of  his  death.  He  was  a  graduate  of  medicine  of 
the  celebrated  college  of  Philadelphia,  and  a  pupil  of  Kush  and 
Physic  and  their  distinguished  colleagues.  Being  very  popular  in 
his  county,  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  House  of  Delegates  for 
several  sessions,  two  of  them  being  the  famous  sessions  of  1831-32 
and  1832-33,  when  such  men  as  Gholson,  Drumgoole,  Brodnax,  J. 
Thompson  Brown,  Shell,  Chapman  Johnson  end  others,  figured  in 
the  legislature  of  Virginia.  In  the  body  he  was  respected  for  his 
discretion  and  sound  judgment. 

He  came  to  reside  in  Richmond  in  1836,  and  continued  the 
active  pursuit  of  his  profession  within  a  year  or  two,  when  his 
advanced  age  compelled  him  to  withdraw  from  practice,  save  to  a 
limited  extent. 

He  held  at  one  time  the  very  high  dignity  of  "Grand  Master 
of  Masons  of  Virginia,"  and  at  his  death  was  one  of  the  most 
esteemed  of  the  ancient  and  honorable  order  to  which  he  belonged. 

Professionally,  gave  the  highest  proof  of  skill  and  fidelity,  in 
the  trust  and  affection  with  which  his  patients  ever  regarded  him. 
He  was  a  gentleman  of  the  old  school,  graceful  in  manner,  uniform- 
ly polite  and  dignified,  observing  the  demeanor  which  never  failed 


122  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

to  elicit  that  politeness  and  deference  towards  himself,  which  he 
extended  to  others.  The  noble  "old  school,"'  so  often  referred  to, 
had  no  truer  disciple  and  there  can  be  no  fitter  social  example  for 
the  young  of  these  days  than  the  virtues  and  the  dignified  courtesies 
of  the  men  that  belonged  to  it. 

But  there  were  other  traits  of  this  venerable  gentleman  which 
won  for  him  the  respect  and  love  of  the  circle  in  which  he  moved. 
He  was  one  of  the  justest  of  men,  as  well  as  one  of  the  most  ardent, 
in  his  friendships  and  family  affection. 

The  manly,  courteous,  and  sage  representatives  of  the  post  Revo- 
lutionary era  are  rapidly  passing  away.  It  is  painful  to  behold 
how  their  numbers  are  reduced,  and  their  value  increases  as  their 
ranks  are  thinned.  Dr.  Patteson  vacates  his  chair  in  the  narrow- 
ing circle,  and  departs  with  the  regrets  and  benediction  of  society. 
May  he  rest  in  peace. 

Corker  Stone  of  the  Masonic  Temple. 

The  corner  stone  of  the  Masonic  Temple,  corner  Hull  Street  and 
Cowardin  Avenue,  was  laid  Thursday  afternoon,  August  18,  1892. 
The  record  says:  The  Lodges  Nos.  10,  19  and  36,  and  members 
of  sister  Lodges,  of  Richmond  and  elsewhere,  formed  in  line  on 
Fifth  Street  (Hull),  headed  by  the  Howitzers'  Band,  of  Richmond, 
followed  by  Manchester  Lodge,  with  tho  Richmond  Light  Infantry 
Blues'  Band. 

The  line  of  march  was  up  Hull  Street  to  Cowardin  Avenue,  to 
the  New  Masonic  Temple,  where  the  ceremony  of  laying  the  corner 
stone  was  immediately  commenced  by  Manchester  Lodge,  No.  14, 
presided  over  by  Worshipful  Master  W.  T.  Williamson.  Among  the 
articles  deposited  in  the  corner  stone  box  were :  Silver  plate  taken 
out  of  old  corner  stone  of  the  old  Masonic  Hall,  new  silver  plate, 
reciting  the  fact  of  laying  this  stone ;  copy  of  address  of  Wor.  John 
H.  Ingram,  copy  of  historical  address  by  Right  Wor.  William  I. 
Clopton,  at  the  centennial  celebration ;  three  photographic  views  of 
the  old  Lodge — two  inside  views  (one  looking  East  the  other  West) 
and  one  exterior  view ;  an  officer's  apron,  worn  by  Wor.  A.  A.  Allen 
at  the  ball  in  honor  of  President  Taylor,  February  22,  1844  (Broth- 
er Allen  was  not  a  Mason  at  that  time)  ;  list  of  names  of  those 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  123 

present  on  the  occasion.  At  night  there  was  a  Masonic  banquet. 
The  address  of  Wor.  John  H.  Ingrain,  delivered  on  the  occasion, 
was  an  oratorical  gem  and  was  as  follows: 

Masons,  Friends,  and  Fellow  Citizetis: 

"Is  this  a  holiday?  What  know  you,  not  being  mechanical,  you 
ought  not  walk  upon  a  laboring  day  without  the  sign  of  your  pro- 
fession." 

A  stranger  today  in  our  midst  might  well  ask,  What  mean  these 
white  aprons  and  gloves  ?  And  do  you  now  put  on  your  best  attire  ? 
And  do  you  now  cull  out  a  holiday? 

A  ceremony  has  just  taken  place  that  has  had  but  one  precedent  in 
the  history  of  Manchester.  On  the  19th  of  September,  1795,  the 
first  corner  stone  of  dear  old  14  Lodge,  of  Ancient,  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons,  was  laid  with  all  the  impressiveness  of  our  ritual 
at  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  Bainbridge  Streets.  It  was  laid  by 
our  then  Worshipful  Master,  Archibald  Campbell,  as  his  name  im- 
ports, a  Scotchman,  belonging  to  "The  warlike  race;  the  gentle, 
vigorous,  active,  of  great  fame,  beloved;  the  race  that  will  not 
wither,  and  has  descended  long  from  every  side !"  assisted  by  John 
Marshall,  Grand  Master  in  Virginia,  and  Governor  Eobert  Brooke, 
Deputy  Grand  Master,  in  the  presence  of  the  members  of  this 
Lodge  and  of  her  three  sister  Lodges  from  Richmond,  numbers 
10,  19  and  36.  The  scenes  then  witnessed  and  the  deeds  there 
enacted  doubtless  were  indicative  of  that  Friendship,  Morality, 
and  Brotherly  Love  which  has  ever  characterized  Free  Masonry. 

History  of  all  the  branches  of  human  knowledge  is  that  upon 
which  most  has  been  written  and  which  has  always  been  most 
popular.  Carlyle  tells  us  to  examine  History,  for  it  is  "Philosophy 
teaching  by  experience."  Nearly  a  century  has  gone  by  since 
1795,  and,  the  world  over,  there  have  been  changes  innumerable 
in  the  conditions  of  men — many  for  the  better,  some  for  the  worse. 
Those  who  were  present  at  the  laying  of  our  first  corner  stone, 
Masons,  Friends,  Citizens,  all,  have  long  since  gone  to  their  last 
sleep.  "Their  candles  are  all  out."  And  it  is  written  on  the  walls 
of  our  old  Lodge  room — 

"Thou  art  crumbling  to  the  dust,  old  pile; 
Thou  art  hastening  to  thy  fall." 

"Today  is  not  yesterday;  we  ourselves  change;  how  can  our 
works  and  thoughts,  if  they  are  always  to  be  the  fittest,  continue 
always  the  same?  Change,  indeed,  is  painful;  yet  ever  needful; 
and  if  memory  have  its  force  and  worth,  so  also  has  hope." 

The  changes  in  every  civilized  people  are  in  their  aggregate  de- 
pendent solely  on  three  things — first,  on  the  amount  of  knowledge 


124  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

possessed  by  their  ablest  men;  second,  on  the  direction  which  that 
knowledge  takes,  the  subjects  to  which  it  refers;  thirdly,  and  above 
all,  on  the  extent  to  which  the  knowledge  is  diffused  and  the  free- 
dom with  which  it  pervades  all  classes  of  society.  The  desolation 
of  countries  and  the  slaughter  of  men  are  losses  which  never  fail 
to  be  repaired,  and  at  the  distance  of  a  few  centuries  every  vestige 
of  them  is  effaced.  The  gigantic  crimes  of  Alexander  or  Napoleon 
become,  after  a  time,  void  of  effect.  And  the  affairs  of  the  world 
return  to  their  former  level.  This  is  the  ebb  and  flow  of  History — 
the  perpetual  flux  to  which  by  the  laws  of  our  nature  we  are 
subject. 

Naturally,  on  this  occasion,  the  tenets  of  our  order  are  uppermost 
in  our  thoughts;  those  living  corner  stones,  the  base  of  our  sacred 
fabric;  its  never  failing  support  in  the  past  and  on  which  in  the 
future  will  depend  its  perpetuity. 

With  your  permission,  however,  I  will  recur  to  the  year  1795, 
which  was  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  this  Lodge.  It  is  interesting 
to  know  who  the  men  were  and  what  manner  of  men  they  were  at 
that  time  who  controlled  the  affairs  of  the  Eepublic,  and  what  were 
the  principles  which  then  obtained. 

George  Washington,  Soldier,  Statesman,  and  Mason,  was  the 
President  for  the  second  time  of  this  new  Eepublic;  but  was  soon, 
Cincinnatus-like,  to  put  aside  the  ambitions  of  office  for  the  peace- 
ful comforts  of  home. 

"His  life  was  gentle;  and  the  elements  so  mixed  in  him  that 
nature  might  stand  up  and  say  to  all  the  world,  'This  was  a  man.' ' 

Thomas  Jefferson,  although  he  had  penned  that  second  Magna 
Charta  of  the  people's  rights — the  Declaration  of  Independence — 
had  not  attained  his  greatest  eminence;  the  corner  stone  of  the 
University  of  Virginia  was  yet  to  be  laid,  and  Louisiana  had  not 
been  acquired. 

The  voice  of  Henry,  that  voice  which  first  awakened  the  colonies 
to  a  realization  of  their  galling  fetters  and  caused  them  to  strike 
a  blow  for  freedom,  which  resulted  in  a  liberty  that  had  been  the 
desire  of  all  the  past  and  should  be  the  emulation  of  all  the  future, 
had  lost  none  of  its  sweetness,  and  still  might  be  heard  in  Vir- 
ginia wooing  willing  ears  with  words  of  wisdom.  By  the  grace  of 
God,  "on  the  light  of  liberty  he  saw  arise  the  light  of  peace." 

John  Marshall,  Jurist,  Patriot,  and  Mason,  was  then  only  thirty- 
five  years  old,  and  was  a  simple  practitioner  of  law  in  the  city  of 
Eichmond,  preferring  a  private  practice  to  the  Attorney-General- 
ship of  the  United  States,  which  Washington  had  tendered  him. 
He  was  yet  to  adorn  the  Supreme  Court  as  its  Chief  Justice  with  a 
character  and  learning  never  to  be  surpassed  in  the  annals  of  time. 
He  is  thus  described :    His  countenance  has  a  "faithful  expression 


IhsToKY    OP    MANCHESTER    LODGE.  L25 

v 

of  good  humor  and  hilarity,  while  his  black  eyes,  that  unerring 
index,  possess  an  irradiating  spirit  which  proclaims  the  imperial 
powers  of  the  mind  that  sits  enthroned  within."  For  years  he  sat 
upon  the  bench  of  the  world's  greatest  court.  In  his  every  decision 
attaining  to  Cicero's  high  ideal  of  justice — "Justitia  suum  cuique 
distribuit."  A  republican  from  feeling  and  judgment,  he  loved 
equality,  abhorred  all  distinctions  founded  upon  rank  instead  of 
merit,  a»d  had  no  preference  for  the  rich  over  the  poor.  Eeligious 
from  sentiment  and  reflection,  he  was  a  Christian,  believed  in  the 
gospel  and  practiced  its  tenets.  Such  a  man  was  John  Marshall, 
Grand  Master  of  Masons  in  Virginia. 

At  this  period  in  the  life  of  the  Republic  corporate  powers  and 
corporate  abuses  were  unknown;  it  was  the  age  of  individual  lib- 
erty; the  personal  rights  of  man  were  respected,  and  the  sovereign 
rights  of  sovereign  States  were  inviolate.  The  Constitution  of  our 
country — the  Ark  of  the  People's  Covenant — had  hardly  left  its 
moorings  and  had  for  its  sheet  anchor  the  abiding  faith  of  a 
patriotic  people. 

"Tempora  mutanturj  et  nos  mutamur  in  Mis." 

Individual  liberty  bas  been  bartered  for  corporate  power ;  the  lib- 
erty of  the  many  has  become  the  unrestrained  license  of  the  few. 
A  Democracy  is  being  exchanged  for  a  Plutocracy. 

Under  the  guise  of  law,  in  the  shape  of  unequal  and  unjust  Fed- 
eral taxation,  the  faces  of  the  poor  have  been  ground  until  their 
piteous  appeals  may  be  heard  on  every  hand. 

"Shrine  of  the  mighty !     Can  it  be 
That  this  is  all  remains  of  thee?" 

I  would  not  have  you,  however,  to  imagine  that  I  am  a  pessimist; 
on  the  contrary  I  am  an  optimist,  and  believe  that,  notwithstanding 
the  intricacies  of  the  meshes  that  have  been  thrown  around  us  and 
the  minotaurs  who  beset  us  on  every  side,  more  cruel  than  the  one 
who  so  long  infested  Crete,  there  is  a  Theseus  already  to  the  rescue. 

"This  mighty  and  puissant  nation  will  yet  rouse  herself  up  like 
a  strong  man  after  sleep  and  shake  her  invincible  locks  in  a  fashion 
you  little  think  of  now.  Wait :  retribution  will  come  in  due  time. 
Justice  travels  with  a  leaden  heel,  but  strikes  with  an  iron  hand." 
The  day  is  not  far  distant  "when  truth,  though  now  hewn  like  the 
mangled  body  of  Osiris  into  a  thousand  pieces  and  scattered  to  the 
four  winds  of  heaven,  shall  be  gathered  limb  to  limb  and  moulded 
with  every  joint  and  member  into  an  immortal  feature  of  loveli- 
ness and  perfection." 

What,  my  friends,  are  some  of  the  happenings  since  this  eventful 
19th  of  September,  the  day  which  for  us  will  ever  stand  blessed  in 
the  calendar? 


126  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

Through  three  wars,  with  all  their  attendant  evils,  burdens,  and 
horrors,  the  country  has  passed,  two  foreign  and  one  civil.  It  were 
unnecessary  that  I  should  extol  the  valor  displayed  by  our  soldiers 
and  sailors  in  the  war  of  1812,  nor  allude  to  the  triumphal  march 
of  our  armies  to  the  halls  of  the  Montezumas  in  the  war  with 
Mexico.  This,  long  since,  has  been  done  by  the  historian,  and  I 
shall  but  briefly  notice  the  war  between  the  North  and  the  South 
— the  great  civil  war.  Its  wounds  are  too  fresh  to  be  reopened; 
and  to-day,  voicing  the  sentiment  of  the  Southern  soldiers,  living 
and  dead,  I  say,  let  brotherly  love  prevail,  and  every  moral  and 
social  virtue  unite  and  cement  us.  The  real  soldiers,  whether  they 
wore  the  blue  or  whether  they  wore  the  gray,  thank  Almighty  Odd 

"As  on  the  sea  of  Galilee 

The  Christ  is  whispering  'Peace." 

It  were  idle  for  me  to  eulogize  the  peerless  chivalry  of  Lee,  the 
sublime  genius  of  Jackson,  or  the  broad  statesmanship  of  Davis; 
the  courage  of  the  private  soldier,  or  the  virtuous  self-denial  of  the 
fair  women  of  the  South.  Across  the  river  in  yonder  beautiful 
city,  so  long 

"A  looming  bastion  fringed  with  fire," 

in  bronze  their  deeds  are  being  perpetuated  as  rapidly  as  a  proud 
but  poor  people  can  afford. 

"They  live  in  fame  that  died  in  virtue's  cause." 

The  right  of  secession  is  forever  settled,  a  right  which  in  the 
early  days  of  the  "Republic  was  cherished  as  faithfully  and  guarded 
as  jealously  in  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire  as  in  Virginia 
and  South  Carolina.  Having  submitted  our  claims  to  the  God  of 
battles,  and  having  had  an  adverse  decision,  so  far  as  the  South  is 
concerned  with  grace  she  will  forever  submit.  In  return  for  deso- 
lation and  desecration,  confiscation  and  almost  annihilation,  before 
the  smoke  of  battles  had  cleared  away,  the  South — our  own  South 
— the  old  South — has  renewed  its  unbroken  pledges  to  the  Consti- 
tution of  our  common  country,  and  stands  as  ready  to-day  to  de- 
fend it  as  she  did  on  the  day  of  its  adoption.  Slavery  is  no  more, 
and  it  were  better  so ;  it  will  be  the  duty,  however,  of  this  generation 
to  see  that  the  shackles  of  the  bondsman  are  not  placed  on  the 
wrists  of  the  poor.  That  which  to  Franklin  was  but  a  dream,  to 
Morse  and  Edison  has  become  a  fact;  Fulton  has  made  steam  a 
motive  power,  and  in  turn  electricity  supplants  steam.  London  is 
brought  within  easy  touch  of  New  York.  In  truth  and  in  deed  the 
thunderbolts  of  Jove  have  been  harnessed  to  the  car  of  Progress 
and  are  become  the  willing  and  obedient  servants  of  man. 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  127 

"Every  tiling  lives,  flourishes,  and  decays;  every  thing  dies;  but 
nothing  is  lost,  for  the  principle  of  life  only  changes  its  form,  and 
the  destruction  of  one  generation  is  the  vivification  of  the  next." 
What,  my  friends,  has  Masonry  done  for  the  advancement  of  man- 
kind during  all  this  time?  What  are  its  principles  and  sacred 
tenets?  These  are  the  questions  I  propose  to  discuss,  and  it  is  for 
this  purpose  I  appear  before  you. 

First,  what  is  Masonry  ?    It  is  said  that  "A  Jew  entered  a  Parsee 
temple  and  beheld  the  sacred  fire.     'What!'  said  he  to  the  priest, 
'do  you  worship  the  fire?'     'Not  the  fire,'  answered  the  priest,  'it 
is  to  us  an  emblem  of  the  sun  and  of  his  genial  heat.'    'Do  you,  then, 
worship  the  sun  as  your  God?'  asked  the  Jew.     'Know  ye  not  that 
this  luminary  also  is  but  a  work  of  the  Almighty  Creator?'     'We 
know  it,'  replied  the  priest,  'but  the  uncultivated  man  requires  a 
sensible  sign  in  order  to  form  a  conception  of  the  Most  High;  and 
is  not  the  sun,  the  incomprehensible  source  of  light,  an  image  of 
that  invisible  being  who  blesses  and  preserves  all  things?'     'Do 
your  people,  then,'  rejoined  the  Israelite,  'distinguish  the  type  from 
the  original?     They  call  the  sun  their  God,  and  descending  even 
from  this  to  a  baser  object,  they  kneel  before  an  earthly  frame ! 
Ye  amuse  the  outward  but  blind  the  inward  eye ;  and  while  ye  hold 
to  them  the  earthly,  ye  draw  from  them  the  heavenly  light!     Thou 
shalt  not  make  unto  thyself  any  image  or  likeness.'     'How  do  you 
designate  the  Supreme  Being?'  asked  the  Parsee.     'We  call  him 
Jehovah  Adonai ;  that  is,  the  Lord  who  is,  who  was,  and  who  will 
be,'  answered  the  Jew.     'Your  appellation  is  grand  and  sublime,' 
said  the  Parsee,  'but  it  is  awful,  too.'    A  Christian  then  drew  nigh 
and  said,  'We  call  him  Father!'     The  Pagan  arjd  the  Jew  looked 
at  each  other  and  said,  'Here  is  at  once  an  image  and  a  reality ;  it 
is  a  word  of  the  heart.'     Therefore  they  all  raised  their  eyes  to 
Heaven,  and  said  with  reverence  and  love,  'Our  Father,'  and  they 
took  each  other  by  the  hand  and  all   three  called   one   another 
'brother.' " 

This  is  Free  Masonry.  Coeval  almost  with  time  its  beginning  is 
lost  in  the  mists  of  antiquity.  We  read  in  the  book  of  Kings: 
"And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  four  hundred  and  eightieth  year,  after 
the  children  of  Israel  came  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  in  the  fourth 
year  of  Solomon's  reign  over  Israel  in  the  month  of  Zif,  which  is 
the  second  month  that  he  began  to  build  the  house  of  the  Lord. 
That  Masonry  was  in  existence  then  there  can  lie  no  doubt.  Solo- 
mon himself  was  our  first  Most  Excellent  Grand  Master  and  this 
house  of  God  was  built  by  Masons.  Coming  down,  universal  and 
unbroken  through  the  ages,  it  was  introduced  into  America  some- 
where about  the  year  1700 — or  rather  it  took  form  and  shape  about 
that  time. 


128  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

The  first  authority  for  the  assembling  of  Free  Masons  in  America 
was  issued  on  the  5th  of  June,  1730,  by  the  Duke  of  .Norfolk,  Grand 
Master  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  of  England,  to  Daniel  Coxe, 
of  New  Jersey,  appointing  him  Provincial  Grand  Master  of  New 
York,  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania.  Virginia,  it  appears,  never 
had  or  sought  a  Provincial  Grand  Master,  preferring  the  method 
of  permitting  any  number  of  Masons,  good  and  true,  to  assemble 
under  Warrant  or  Charter  and  dispense  the  light  and  blessings  of 
Masonry,  adhering  always,  of  course,  to  the  ancient  landmarks. 

In  1711,  at  Norfolk,  the  first  lodge  in  this  State  was  chartered 
under  a  warrant  from  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland.  On  the  6th 
of  May,  1777,  five  of  the  eight  constituted  lodges  then  in  Virginia, 
by  their  representatives,  met  in  convention  at  "Williamsburg  and 
drew  up  a  code  of  laws  and  regulations  for  their  government. 

They  presented  the  name  of  Brother  George  "Washington  to  be 
the  first  Grand  Master  of  Masons  for  Virginia,  which  honor  he  de- 
clined, for  two  reasons,  both  of  which  were  characteristic  of  his 
life  as  a  Mason  and  a  man:  First,  never  having  been  Master  or 
Warden  of  a  chartered  lodge,  be  did  not  believe  he  was  eligible  to 
election;  and  second,  bis  duties  as  Commander  in  Chief  of  the 
Continental  Armies  were  such  as  to  wholly  demand  bis  attention. 
His  decision  being  made  known,  the  Grand  Lodge  was  organized 
by  the  unanimous  election  of  Wor.  Brother  John  Blair,  P.  M.,  of 
Williamsburg  Lodge,  No.  6,  as  Most  Worshipful  Grand  Master. 

On  the  20th  of  November.  1786,  our  Lodge  was  chartered  by 
Edmund  Randolph,  the  first  Attorney-General  of  the  "United  States, 
a  patriot  of  great  ability  and  learning,  and  Grand  Master  at  the 
time  in  Virginia.  The  centennial  of  which  event,  as  the  most  of 
vou  know,  we  celebrated  in  a  truly  fraternal  and  Masonic  way  at 
Bon  Air  on  the  20th  of  November,  1886. 

Masonry  in  America  and  Virginia  has  had  its  ups  and  downs, 
iis  days  of  prosperity  and  of  sore  trial,  but  all  praise  and  thanks 
to  the  Supreme  Architect  of  the  Universe,  I  can  truthfully  pro- 
claim to-day  that  it  is  stronger  and  more  effectual  for  good  than 
ever  before  in  its  history.  Its  glorious  principles,  which  are  al- 
ways the  same,  are  now  and  shall  forever  hereafter  be  the  most 
powerful  agencies  for  man's  intellectual  and  moral  advancement, 
and  justly  entitle  Masonry  to  a  place  in  our  hearts  second  only  to 
the  Church  of  the  Living  God.  Its  sacred  tenets  are  immortal; 
they  have  survived  the  shock  of  Empires,  perennial  and  undying, 
gathering  strength  with  the  ages;  they  are  dearer  to  the  hearts  of 
man  than  at  the  moment  of  their  first  promulgation.  When  the 
late  civil  war  came,  with  all  its  cruelties  and  hardships,  when  broth- 
er's arm  was  raised  against  brother  and  the  fair  fields  of  Virginia 
were   a   camp  and   continuous  battle-ground.   Masonry,   like   some 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  129 

*, 

angelic  Soeur  Seraphine,  was  among  the  dead  and  dying,  whether 
followers  of  Lee  or  soldiers  of  Grant,  binding  up  the  broken  wounds 
with  untiring  hands,  ever  guided  by  Brotherly  Love,  Relief,  and 
Truth ;  whether  amid  the  stern  alarums  of  war  or  the  gentler  times 
of  peace,  in  need,  sorrow,  sickness,  or  any  other  adversity,  Masonry 
dispenses  charity  with  an  equal  and  impartial  hand. 

The  history  of  No.  14  Lodge  is  so  closely  interwoven  with  the 
history  of.  Manchester  that  the  mention  of  the  one  is  the  suggestion 
of  the  other.  When  our  first  corner  stone  was  laid,  Manchester  had 
only  been  a  town  corporate  for  a  few  years.  Her  most  prominent 
citizens  have  been  members  of  this  Lodge,  many  of  whom  attained 
to  distinction ;  all  of  whom,  with  few  exceptions,  have  adorned  their 
several  walks  in  life,  with  an  honesty  of  purpose  and  a  fidelity  to 
church  and  State,  which  is  the  very  crown  and  glory  of  true  citi- 
zenship. 

In  the  year  1824,  when  the  Marquis  de  La  Fayette,  who  may 
well  be  described  as  the  Patron  Saint  of  American  Independence, 
visited  America  for  the  last  time,  he  was  tendered  a  reception  in 
the  city  of  Richmond,  at  which  John  Marshall  presided,  the  orator 
of  the  day  being  that  firm  republican  Mason,  our  own  Wor.  Brother 
Dr.  James  Henderson,  of  Manchester  Lodge,  No.  14,  and 
who,  as  General  La  Fayette  entered  the  hall,  advanced,  and  taking 
him  by  the  hand,  said :  "Brother  La  Fayette,  I  am  glad  to  see  you ; 
and  in  the  name  of  the  Fraternity  here  assembled,  do  offer  you  a 
cordial  welcome  to  our  hospitalities  and  the  Masonic  festivities  in 
honor  of  your  presence."  Dr.  Dove,  in  his  history  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  Virginia,  alludes  to  this  incident. 

As  a  splendid  illustration  of  the  Masonic  teachings  and  confi- 
dence inspired  by  the  level  of  merit  in  well-regulated  minds,  the 
unpretending  practitioner  of  medicine  in  the  village  of  Manchester 
thus  addresses  the  Marquis  de  La  Fayette,  of  France,  whose  nod 
had  directed  armies  and  whose  presence  had  been  carved  to  protect 
a  kins-  and  queen  from  an  infuriated  mob  in  their  own  mansion. 
Proudly  bowing  to  the  prestige  of  hereditary  title,  wealth,  rank, 
and  influence,  he  plants  himself  on  the  broad  level  of  Masonic 
equality,  receives  him  as  a  brother  Mason,  good  and  true,  and  in 
that  exalted  character  introduces  him  to  the  fraternity  of  Rich- 
mond and  vicinity.  I  allude  to  it  for  another  purpose — to  show 
the  character  and  standing  of  the  men  who,  in  the  earlier  days, 
were  members  of  this  Lodge. 

On  the  19th  September,  1795,  the  roll  shows  that  we  had  forty 
members,  all  of  whom,  however,  did  not  live  in  Manchester;  and 
somewhat  remarkable  to  say,  nineteen  of  them  were  Scotch  in  their 
birth  and  extraction,  which  is  explained  by  the  fact  that  Manchester 
at  that  time  was  a  port  of  considerable  commercial  importance  and 


130  History  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

a  great  many  Scotch  merchants  lived  and  did  business  here.  I  will 
mention  the  names  of  a  few,  many  of  whom  are  household  words 
with  us  and  whose  descendants  now  live  honored  and  respected 
among  us.  I  mention  James  A.  Patteson.  James  Lyle,  Archibald 
McRae,  James  Brander,  Benjamin  Hatcher,  John  and  Thomas 
Branch,  and  William  Ball.  Beginning  under  such  auspicious  cir- 
cumstances, followed  by  many  years  of  prosperity,  there  came  a  day 
to  old  14  dark  and  gloomy  in  itself  and  portentous  for  its  future. 
Without  attempting  to  give  a  reason  for  its  decline,  suffice  it  to 
say  that  from  1845  to  about  1850,  had  it  not  been  for  the  con- 
sistent fidelity  of  the  three  Williams — Brothers  William  A.  Patte- 
son, at  one  time  Grand  Master  of  the  Grand  Lodge  in  Virginia ; 
William  W.  Weisiger,  and  William  Walker — and  our  dear  old  Tiler, 
Brother  Emmanuel  Semon,  its  light  would  have  entirely  gone  out; 
but  Providence  was  with  us,  and  the  more  than  Promethean  heat, 
of  their  love  kept  its  light  illumed,  effnkent  for  good,  as  the  efful- 
gence of  Divine  Glory,  which  we  devoutly  pray  may  continue  until 
time  is  no  more  and  the  eternal  brotherhood  with  God  begin. 

Throughout  all  these  years  its  doors  have  stood  wide  open,  never 
closed  to  the  deserving,  subserving  the  best  interests  of  our  popula- 
tion, ever  free,  without  distinction;  at  times  a  fit  nursery  for  the 
young,  more  than  once  consecrated  to  the  uses  of  education.  Many 
are  here  present  who  received  their  first  and  only  schooling  beneath 
its  hospitable  roof.  To  a  higher  and  more  glorious  use  even  than 
that  of  education  has  it  been  put.  Every  Christian  church  we  see 
in  our  city,  with  one  exception,  had  their  beginning  in  this  build- 
ing. The  devout  Presbyterian,  the  earnest  Baptist,  and  the  constant 
Episcopalian  freely  worshipped  the  same  God  within  its  hallowed 
walls.  Is  it  dear  to  us?  Is  it  dear  to  you,  my  fellow-citizens? 
Indissolubly  linked  with  Manchester's  past  and  present,  rooted  to 
her  soil,  a  tower  of  strength  it  stands,  the  best  beloved  of  all  her 
landmarks.  Bound  to  it  by  associations  unspeakably  tender,  our 
hearts  are  there,  around  its  sacred  altar  our  affections  still  linger, 
and  the  laying  of  this  corner  stone  is  not  without  the  silent  tears 
of  regret. 

In  conclusion,  my  fellow-citizens,  the  tenets  of  our  order  are 
Brotherly  Love,  Relief,  and  Truth ;  its  cardinal  virtues  are  Tem- 
perance, Fortitude,  Prudence  and  Justice.  What  Masonrv  is!  If 
thou  wouldst  be  taught,  thy  heart  must  teach  alone.  "Universal. 
with  a  Philanthropy  like  unto  that  of  Hiffh  Heaven,  it  has  with- 
stood the  anathemas  of  the  many,  the  frowns  of  centuries,  and  in 
this  the  year  5892  of  its  existence,  with  renewed  energies  it  still 
goes  on  and  on  in  its  mission  of  mercy,  never  to  be  content  until 
it  shall  have  girdled  the  globe  with  a  never-ending  circle  of  Broth- 
erly Love.    May  the  tapers  of  peace  ever  burn  at  its  altars,  only  to 


History  of  Manchester  Lodge.  131 

V 

be  dimmed  by  the  everlasting  glories  of  the  Celestial  Lodge  above, 
not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  Heavens.  Its  sancity  rests  with 
us.  Let  us,  brother  Masons,  live  up  to  our  professions,  ever  keep- 
ing the  word  of  promise  not  only  to  the  ear  but  to  the  hope. 

In  Conclusion. 

Your  kind  indulgence  will  be  craved  for  only  a  few  lines  more. 
The  intense  love  and  veneration  entertained  for  Old  Fourteen,  pur- 
suaded  the  writer  to  take  more  of  your  time  on  this  occasion  than 
should  have  fairly  been  accorded  him,  since  it  is  so  well  known 
that  on  'Possum  Night,  the  brethren,  particularly  the  older  ones, 
are  expected  to  be  aroused  by  a  recall  of  the  history  and  the  mem- 
ories of  the  past,  and  "speak  out,"  as  it  were,  on  this  noted  festival, 
in  love  and  veneration  for  our  ancient  and  beloved  Lodge. 

Its  history  is  a  history  of  this  community.  Its  records  should 
be  more  carefully  preserved,  and  held  as  sacred  as  the  ancient  land- 
marks. Had  they  not  been  disturbed  in  their  ill  ventillated  resting 
place  for  this  compilation,  many  of  the  precious  old  papers  and 
documents,  and  even  some  of  the  minute  books  would  have  soon 
withstood  the  ravages  of  time,  and  become  bedding  for  mice  and 
contributions  for  decay  and  mould.  The  old  papers  of  the  Lodge, 
from  which  so  much  can  be  obtained  to  write  about,  seemed  to  have 
been  untouched  for  many  years.  In  1881  they  were  packed  away 
in  a  little  old  hair  covered  trunk  of  a  most  ancient  vintage,  and  the 
Lodge  appeared  unconscious  probably,  indifferent  maybe,  of  its 
valuable  historic  possessions  which  throw  such  a  light  of  interest 
over  the  years  that  have  gone. 

The  history  of  this  Lodge  should  not  be  permitted  to  lie  un- 
written and  unrecorded.  The  old  Masonic  Hall,  which  stood  on 
Fifth  and  Bainbridge  Streets,  where  these  documents  and  papers 
were  preserved  for  a  hundred  years,  escaped  the  devouring  flames, 
notwithstanding  the  building,  between  long  intervals,  caught  on 
fire.  Had  these  documents  been  destroyed,  precious  little  in  com- 
parison, could  have  been  secured  elsewhere  concerning  the  Lodge, 
and  who  the  brethren  were  that  steered  it  safely  through  a  tem- 
pestuous century  into  a  harbor,  let  us  hope,  of  peace  and  perma- 
nency. 


132  Histoky  of  Manchester  Lodge. 

The  old  Hebrew  prophet  bewailing  the  unhappy  condition  of 
Israel,  and  foretelling  the  promises  of  consolation  and  of  a  renewal 
of  the  national  life,  heard  the  voice  of  God  in  the  Valley  of  Dry 
Bones:  "Son  of  Man,  can  these  bones  live?"  And  in  the  fulfil- 
ment of  the  prophecy  "they  lived  and  stood  upon  their  feet."  If 
now  were  the  query  asked,  "Do  the  brethren  whose  names  appear 
upon  the  old  records  live?"  the  answer  from  the  Valley  of  Death 
would  be,  "they  live  with  us  in  spirit,  and  their  works  do  follow 
after  them." 

Fortunate  is  it  that  the  Lodge  had  such  an  abundance  of  material 
preserved  from  the  century  that  has  passed,  telling  us  Avho  the 
brethren  were,  and  what  they  did  for  Masonry  and  mankind  in  the 
days  of  Aula7  Lang  Syne. 

Fortunate  is  Old  Fourteen  in  the  possession  of  a  heritage,  for 
such  it  is,  so  valuable,  so  interesting  and  so  important.  That  these 
records  are  yet  preserved  should  be  an  inspiration  to  the  Lodge 
to  throw  around  them  in  the  future  that  care  and  that  protection 
to  which  their  value  entitle  them,  so  that  should  "inundation"  and 
"conflagration"  come  they  will  not  disappear  like  the  warrior's 
banner  that  took  "its  flight  to  greet  the  warrior's  soul,"  but  be  pre- 
served to  us  and  to  those  who  are  to  follow  us  in  this  Lodge  when 
we  are  gone. 

"And  they  of  Bethsheniesh  were  reaping  their  harvest  in  the 
valley;  and  they  lifted  up  their  eyes  and  saw  the  Ark,  and  they 
rejoiced  to  see  it." 

May  we  cling  to  our  old  records,  rejoice  to  see  them,  and  cherish 
them  with  that  tenderness  and  affection  that  Israel  welcomed  the 
return  of  the  Ark  from  the  land  of  its  captors. 

Preserve  our  records,  and  place  in  enduring  form  the  deeds  of 
our  worthy  craftsmen,  who  worked  faithfully  in  the  quarry  of  life, 
so  that  a  glowing  redundancy  of  light  might  flood  the  charming- 
scenes  and  incidents  that  throw  a  glorious  vision  over  the  hallowed 
past. 


V 


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